We were merely Freshmen
by Leaf on the Wind
Summary: All the CSIs plus Brass and Archie are back in high school! Not sure who's with who yet, but I'll figure it out. Rated for language and later chapters. I'm deciding who to put with Sara, so even if you searched for the pair I said it was, it might not be.
1. A dark haired boy

Disclaimer: Yes, I do own CSI, but just for the record, let's pretend that I don't and maybe this way I can keep out of jail.  
A/N: My first fanfic! As aforementioned in the description, this fic is about the CSI team in high school. They're all Freshmen (like me!) exept for Gil and Jim, who are Sophomores. I might put some characters in other grades, too. I know if this were at all realistic, age-wise, this story would be impossible, but just let me have some fun. I like high school (though I haven't started yet, only a week left!) and I've always wondered about what would happen if the CSIs knew eachother before the show, so to speak. Anyway, enjoy!P.S. It's in modern times, and they all live in Vegas.  
P.P.S. I'm dedicating this chapter to AmberKyep, who's fiction (High School Times, High School Problems) inspired me to explore this area of fiction writing. Thanks!

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Nick Stokes stared out of the window of his mother's car. A street lined with depressing grey buildings was sliding across his vision, edge to edge. Keeping his nose pressed to the glass and his eyes halfway closed, he barely noticed a dark-haired kid walking in the same direction as the car. With nothing better to do, Nick looked back to see if the kid was his age, maybe heading to his school, but the boy was gone.  
He jumped out of the car as soon as it pulled up in the parking lot of McKinley high. He didn't know why, but there was something depressing about the way his mother was acting. She had been fussing over Nick, and he could barely see the tears in her eyes, but he knew they were there. Last night he had overheard his parents talking, the usual "Our little boy is growing up so fast!" deal, but there was something different about it, this time.  
Nick dismissed it as a parent thing, and went inside to his homeroom, looking over his schedule as he walked. He had an algebra class, the more difficult of the math classes offered to Freshmen and Sophomores. He hoped that they would be doing actual work, even though it was the first day of school. Nick had always been good at math, and he hated to admit that he actually enjoyed it sometimes. "Well, here goes nothing," Nick mumbled, his voice barely audible above the din in the hall. He pushed open the door to his homeroom.

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On her bike, Sara Sidle sped down the street towards McKinley. She nearly knocked over a dark-haired boy who was clutching a book and reading while he was walking. She thought of stopping to apologize, but no. This was more important. Sara was racing to get to her school, racing to see if there were any seats in the back of the class. She hastily locked her bike to a bike rack on a sidestreet, then dashed inside, just barely making it to the last seat in the back of the room. She pulled a crumpled piece of paper out of the pocket of her ragged jeans, and her overly big brown eyes scanned the first two lines.  
After homeroom, she had French. A look of displeasure spread across her thin face, vanishing just as quickly as it had come. She didn't want to draw any attention to herself, but it was hard to resist cringing at the horrible prospect of French."Why did I take that again?" she thought to herself, but a stern voice in the back of her mind answered her before she had the chance to ponder it. "Mom says it's good to speak another language if you want to get into college." Sara felt annoyed at this other person, after all, what did her mother know? She was a hippie who had run a bed-and-breakfast with her lazy husband until she had killed him, not being able to take the abuse. But, Sara always felt her mom was trying, in her own way, to be as the best mother she could, even though she was only allowed to see Sara once a month, and she sent letters even less frequently. "Well," Sara reflected, "I guess it can't be as bad as it seems."

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The bus opened it's doors the same way it had for the last twelve stops he'd been on it. Squeeking horridly. Warrick Brown stepped gingerly onto the pavement, pushing his thick glasses up his nose as he did so. He blinked his blue-green eyes, staring at the enormous school that lay accross the street. He hadn't had a good time in middle school, and he didn't figure that this would be any different.  
He was a short black kid, and he always got picked on for his eyes, his glasses, his hieght, and anything else you could think of. Warrick set off across the street, noticing as he was about ten feet away from the brick-red doors that he wasn't alone. A dark-haired boy wearing square glasses over his blue eyes was watching him through a window in the door. The boy was tall, and he had a weird aura about him. Like he knew something that no one else did.  
Deciding to ignore the strange kid, Warrick pushed open the doors and hurried to his homeroom. He couldn't be late on the first day of school! "Grams says she can't drive me, so I guess I'll be taking the bus every day," he thought forlornly. His grandmother was his only family, and his only friend.  
He had Chemistry second period, right after homeroom, which he was vaguely happy about. Grams had convinced him to take it, and he wasn't about to let her down. As Warrick entered his homeroom, and took a seat in front of a skinny brunette girl sitting in the back corner, next to the window.

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"Crap," thought Catherine Willows, as her high-tops pounded the pavement. She was fine with being late, even skipping homeroom, if necessary, but she didn't want to miss second period. She was taking a CIM English class that focused on poetry. Catherine snorted, thinking of what people were going to say if she, an infamous school bully, turned up in a poetry class with a bunch of nobodies and hopeless romantics. She jumped nimbly over a recyclying bin, colliding spectacularly with the trashcan that stood next to it. She righted the can, then went right on running.  
Once inside the school, she ran straight into a boy who was walking in the opposite direction. He had dark hair and something about him made Catherine uneasy. She picked up his books for him and was gone. Catherine skidded into her homeroom just as the door was closing, and twenty-six pairs of eyes trained on her immediately. She glared at them, and all eyes were instantly averted. That was how you delt with Catherine. You did whatever the hell she wanted.  
Catherine sat down in the middle row, a seat away from the window. The boys on either side of her eyed her cautiously. They knew full well that no one was allowed to date this girl sitting between them, but no one could blame them for wishing. Catherine was one of the prettiest girls in school, even if she was by far the meanest.

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The wheels of Greg Sanders' skateboard spun wildly as he sped down the street, eyes fixed on the school doors. He glanced down at his watch, then back up at the school. McKinley high was only a few seconds away, he could make it. When he reached the steps he grabbed up his skateboard and bolted up the stairs, three at a time. Pausing only for a moment to style his hair using the window as a mirror, Greg was soon off and running to get to his homeroom. He and a boy with dark hair reached the door at the same time, and, much as he hated to say it, the other boy was intimidating Greg.  
"Hi, I'm Greg Sanders," he stated. The other boy neither looked up, nor replied. In fact, he was already halfway into the room when the words were out of Greg's mouth. Greg followed the boy in, and took a seat at the only desk available. The middle of the front row. "Well isn't this a dandy way to start the new year," Greg thought sarcastically. At least he had a good subject next, Social Studies. He'd always been kind of interested to learn about other parts of the world, and although he wasn't all that enthusiastic, he would probably make some friends. Greg had always been good at making friends. .

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The teacher, Mrs. Wells, had written her name on the blackboard (as was customary) and was staring over her entwined fingers at the class sitting in front of her. She was only one of the 40 or so teachers at McKinley, but she always felt that she got the oddest bunch of students for homeroom. Her normal subject was band, and that always went well, but homeroom always had a bunch of the weirdest teenagers in the school.  
Mrs. Wells began to call roll. When she got to "Brass, Jim" a boy sitting in the second row waved his hand nonchalantly and continued a hushed conversation with the dark-haired boy next to him. She vaguely remembered both the boys from the previous year. Next was "Brown, Warrick" who, Mrs. Wells thought, looked as though if anyone turned to look at him he might sink into the ground and die. She reached "Grissom, Gil" on the list and the boy sitting next to Jim answered politely. "Sanders, Greg" came right before "Sidle, Sara" who was right before "Stokes, Nick." Mrs. Wells thought they all looked a little weird, but dismissed it and went back to the list. The final name to be called was "Willows, Catherine" who gruffly answered."These kids definately seemed like an odd bunch," the teacher thought. "Definately not the ones you'd want to have in your class"

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A/N: So what do you think? I feel like a loser asking for you to review, but as an aspiring writer I'm always open to critique. Do you like the mysterious Gil Grissom? Sorry I had to just say "dark-haired boy" over and over, but you knew they were all the same person, right? If you get any ideas on how I could improve, feel free to let me know! I love you all for reading,  
Maddy


	2. Making Friends

A/N: I updated quickly, so I guess I'll keep writing even though I've gotten ZERO reviews. You guys better cough up because, even though I have chapters written, if no one reads them, what's the point?  
Maddy

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Warrick stepped into the immaculately clean Chem lab. The floors were steel, Warrick knew, because if someone spilled a chemical it couldn't get through the cracks in the linoleum that the rest of the school was caked in. The desk in the front lefthand corner of the room was covered in an odd array of jars and tubes. A frog floating in formaldahyde-"How classic," Warrick thought-was sitting on the desk alongside a vacuum-sealed jar that seemed to contain pure sodium. Further along the desk there was a large stack of papers, scribbled over in red ballpoint.  
Taking his seat at the back of the class, Warrick immersed himself in the secondhand textbook he had just barely managed to afford. He and his grandmother lived in the slums, and they could just barely live on what his grandmother made and what Warrick could pull in. He worked at a fast-food joint down the street from his house, and all though it didn't pay well, he told his grandmother it did. His second job, a runner for one of the many big-name gamblers in Vegas, was his second life. He could never tell his grams about it. They needed the money, and Warrick had vowed to take care of his grandmother, just like she had done for him after his parents died.  
Lost in his own thoughts, Warrick didn't notice a pinched looking boy sit down next to him. "I'm Conrad Ecklie," the boy said stiffly, sticking out his hand and simultaniously jerking Warrick out of his dreamworld. "Warrick Brown," he said quickly, shaking Ecklie's hand in a hasty manner before turning his eyes back to the book.  
The Chemistry teacher, Mr. Schick, entered the room and cleared his throat loudly, commanding attention. He ran through the attendance list, his eyes fixing on each student in turn. Then, while absentmindedly rubbing the bald spot on the back of his head, he said, "Please turn to chapter one as we review the Periodic Table." His voice had a nasal quality, and Warrick sighed as he realized not only would he be stuck hearing lectures from this detestable man and sitting next to an obviously stuck up Sophomore, but the class would be learning simple things. "Just a year of this and then I can take something else..." Warrick sighed as the thought these words in a melancholy tone.

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He was busily working on a graphing equation when the bell rand to signal the end of second period. He was the epitome of concentration, with his tongue between his teeth and both eyes focused on the paper before him, the words being jotted quickly as the rest of the class stood up to leave. Upon finding the answer, Nick shoved the paper mercilessly into his backpack before slinging it over his shoulder and walking swiftly to the door and out into the hall.He was soon in the boys locker room, putting on the black shorts and grey t-shirts that all the kids wore to gym. When he entered the gym, Nick saw some kids already lined up on the opposite wall. He walked over and stood in an empty space next to a girl he recognized from his homeroom as Sara Sidle."Hi, I'm Nick," he said, watching as she drew with her right forefinger on the back of her left hand. "I'm in your homeroom." Nick was waiting for a reply when a sharp-looking man entered the gym and blew the whistle around his neck. Sara rolled her eyes at Nick, both of them thinking the same thing. "How cliche." While the mean old coach, Mr. Lambert, explained what they would be covering in Phys. Ed. this year, Sara and Nick exchanged glances of pure agony.  
After about an hour (really only two or three minutes) the coach had finished his speech and was barking out the order to run laps around the gym. "So do you ever talk?" Nick asked Sara in a joking way. She looked at him sarcastically, turning her eyes back to the ground where her feet were moving in a steady, fascinating rhythm. "Have you made any friends yet?" Nick pressed. He was detirmined to get at least one friend by the end of the day, and Sara Sidle was his first target. "It's always a plus to know a pretty girl," Nick thought, immediately stopping himself and remembering that she still hadn't said anything to him.  
"Not really," Sara said finally said. "Have you?" Nick answered. "Negative," he said, "but hey, if you're free for lunch, let's eat together. Who knows, maybe we'll be friends"  
Sara finished the rest of gym class knowing that maybe, just maybe, school wouldn't be as bad as she anticipated.

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Catherine was dishing out the ice. All around her kids were whispering and pointing. That is, until she gave them a cold look to shut them up. The poetry class she had chosen was going exactly as she had feared. She was seated next to the boy she'd plowed over that morning on her way to homeroom, and had just decided to shock the onlookers more by introducing herself to him when he beat her to the punch. "I'm Gil. Gil Grissom," he said, extending his hand and shaking hers politely. "Um...Catherine Willows," Cathy said, a little taken aback. The boy, Gil, had already gone back to his copy of Edgar Alan Poe's compiled works.  
"Sorry for knocking you over this morning," Catherine said, surprised at how out-of-character she was acting. Gil merely waved a hand, as if this matter had been settled long ago. He never looked up from his book. The class went by smoothly, despite the occasional whispered quip directed towards Catherine about how she "really was a big softy." Cathy vowed to pummel them later, making a mental note of each face as it taunted at her.  
Once in a while she would glance over at Gil, sensing someone watching her, but every time she looked he was absorbed in some poem or piece of classwork. When the bell rang, Cathy looked at Gil. "So, I'll see you around..." she mumbled. Gil shrugged. He gave her the distinct impression that no one had ever offered to "see him around" or even spoken so many words to him. He seemed to think it very unlikely that she would ever see him out of the English class they shared. "No," Cathy reminded herself, "he's in my homeroom, too." Either way, it was a little unnerving how detached Gil seemed to be. Almost inhuman.

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Sara walked into herAncient Cultures class, having just said goodbye to Nick. She felt relieved at having made at least one friend, and she was slightly more confident as she entered. She chose a seat next to a boy she recognized as Greg Sanders, from homeroom. Greg was too busy making a paper football to notice that someone had sat down at an adjoining desk, so Sara decided to start a conversation. "Hi, I'm Sara Sidle, I'm a Freshman and you're in my homeroom, you're Greg Sanders, aren't you?" Sara said this all in one breath. She realized only after she said it that she sounded slightly foolish. Looking down at her feet, she listened for his reply."Yeah, I'm Greg," he confirmed. He looked up at the worn out face of the girl next to him, noting how her eyes seemed to be too big for the rest of her. Her ears stuck out a little, but Greg thought it was kind of cute. "Have you heard anything about this teacher?" Sara shook her head, but any inquiries they may have had about Mr. De la Cruz were soon answered.The teacher entered the room, quickly introduced himself and told the students to take notes. Then he launched into a speech that both Greg and Sara found very interesting, involving the Aztek concept of a single magic number that could tell when, exactly, the world would end. The teens were all copying down the date, December twenty-second, two-thousand-eleven, when the bell rang for lunch.  
"Hey, Greg?" Sara inquired. "My friend Nick and I are having lunch together, do you wanna come?"  
"Sure," Greg replied. He hadn't made any other plans, in fact, he didn't have any new friends to make other plans with.  
After putting their books away in their respective lockers, Sara and Greg met Nick in the cafeteria and they all sat down at a table near the door that led outside. Nick and Greg became instant friends, and they, along with Sara, began a long discussion on school, teachers, and family among other things. Nick and Greg both noticed that Sara seemed unwilling to talk about her family, so that subject was somewhat shortlived.  
Their table was right next to the table where Jim Brass and Gil were sitting in a deep conversation. A few tables away from them was Warrick, sitting all alone in a back corner, and at a table next to his, a very angry Catherine was glaring at anyone who made a move to sit down with her.

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The rest of the day passed in a blur. Right after lunch Greg met a scrawny Asian boy named Archie. They had band together with Mrs. Wells, and while Greg lazily drummed and Archie played violin, the two of them became fast friends. They spent the better part of their concentration coming up with nicknames for Mrs. Wells, who was conducting with such enthusiasm that her glasses often came close to falling off her nose.  
Catherine had Social Studies as the last class of the day, the period after the period after lunch. She was paired with Warrick to do a surprise presentation of a scene in the book the class had just started, which focused on culture in the middle east. The teacher had explained that the better part of the year would be spent studying such places as Iran and Afghanistan. Catherine cringed at the prospect, but she and Warrick had become fast friends and enjoyed helping eachother with the classwork.  
After school, Nick and Warrick had both signed up for the Mathletes team. They picked eachother as partners to test their geometry skills, and soon they were talking and laughing like old friends. As Jim, Gil, Cathy, Warrick, Nick, Greg, Sara, and Archie thought back on the day when they were all safely at home, the same thought was running throught each mind."Today wasn't so bad after all."

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A:N/ The Ancient Cultures class is based off of one I had in seventh grade, my teacher's name was Mr. De la Cruz, and he told us the world was going to end on December 22, 2011. I couldn't think of any other classes, and I was stumped for names. Sorry! I even got the Chem teacher, Mr. Schick's name off my razor when I was shaving my legs. Hugs and kisses for all my reviewers, Maddy


	3. Sleepy Hollow

A/N: Sorry if you don't understand what Sleepy Hollow is all about, I'll try to keep it so that it doesn't matter if you know what the play is about, but if you have trouble you can always rent the movie! It has the scrumptious Johnny Depp, so of course it will be worth it! I want to thank my lovely reviewers:**  
ObsessedTWFan:** I know it's kind of weird to have them all in high school at the same time, but it's really fun to write. I hope it's as much fun to read, because I have tons of ideas and if no one reads them I will be sad...  
**Gorgeous Nick Stokes:** This chapter is good for Nick, and I plan on having a healthy dose of Nick angst later in the story...So be sure to keep reading!  
Post Script: I don't like this chapter nearly as much as the other ones, but the next one is shaping up really well.

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Mrs. Wells clapped her hands sharply, and the entirety of her homeroom class jerked their heads around to look at her. "We're going to put on a play!" She was clearly extatic, even though it was the third day of school and the play wouldn't be put on until Halloween. "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow!"  
A collective groan rose from the class, and each one of the students stood up, walked to Mrs. Wells' desk, and chose a popsicle stick with the name of his or her role on it. Catherine went first, wincing she read her part. In black ink, "The Headless Horsman" looked back at her.  
Gil was next to go. He drew out "Ichabod Crane", looking rather bashful as he sat back down at his seat. A while later, the entire class had their parts. Sara was playing Katrina Van Tassel, Nick was Brom Van Brunt,Warrick was Baltus Van Tassel, Jim was the director, and Archie (who wasn't there, but got the part anyway) was the stagehand.  
Greg stared forlornly at his popsicle stick. He raised his hand. "'Scuse, but who exactly is Ugly Man?"  
Mrs. Wells quickly explained that the character had no name, and as the original actor was somewhat ugly, they had called him Ugly Man. She told him that Ugly Man was a victim of the Headless Horseman, and only in the first two scenes. Greg looked dissappointed for a moment, but cheered up considerably when he heard that he would have to be staying to practice after school every Friday.  
"The director, Ichabod Crane, Katrina Van Tassel, the stagehand, the Headless Horseman, Brom Bones, and Baltus Van Tassel will also have to be staying after school to practice, starting today. The rest of you will start practices in October," Mrs. Wells said, then the bell rang and everyone ran off to their respective classes.

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At lunch that day, two groups of teenagers discussed their rolls in the play. At one table, Nick, Sara, Greg, and Archie were talking excitedly. "I wonder who the Headless Horseman is," Greg mused. "And Ichabod Crane""What I wonder is why I have to be the mean suitor," Nick countered. "Sorry, Sara, if I have to be a mean character to you," he added.Archie was still wondering why he was in the play at all. "It's because you're a whiz with the lighting and sound systems," Greg replied.Sara was silent. The thought of being cast as a beautiful young lady, one whom an entire village adored. Her stomache churned at the mere thought of it. She wasn't even sure how she felt about having Nick, her good friend, be one of her main suitors. And someone she didn't know _who_ was going to play Ichabod Crane.  
On the other side of the cafeteria, Catherine was having a similar discussion with Warrick, Gil, and Jim. "Headless Horseman!" she exploded. "I know I'm a bit of a bully but honestly!" The only thought running through the minds of her three companions was "A bit of a bully? That's the understatement of the year."  
Gil stayed quiet, nodding along with the others and occasionally adding the odd comment, but not really paying attention. He was wondering what would happen if he, a ghost in this school, starred in the play. He didn't have any real friends, even Jim was nothing more than a friendly acquaintence, and he doubted if he would ever have a life outside of his books and his insect collection. And there was no way he would enjoy playing a lovesick fool to Katrina Van Tassel.  
"Gil? Earth to Gil, what's up?" His skin acquired a tint of pink as he heard Catherine's voice speaking his name. He rubbed his temples to clear his mind, saying, "Nothing, just spaced out I guess."

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After school, eight nervous kids were sitting on the edge of the stage in McKinley high's auditorium. Mrs. Wells was pacing back and forth. "First of all," she said in her eccentric voice, "we have a scene with Ugly Man and the Headless Horseman"Greg and Catherine stood up. "I'm Greg Sanders, what's you're name?" Greg asked out of the corner of his mouth. "Cathy Willows," said Catherine quickly before shushing him with a motion of her hands.Each of them had a script and they began to act out what their respective characters were supposed to be doing. Mrs. Wells took a seat in the front row, telling Jim that they were his responsibility now. Archie had already gone into the backstage room and was fiddling around, acquainting himself with the different lights. As a result, the stage lights dimmed and brightened randomly, sometimes changing color with no warning.They carried on like this, Jim occasionally stopping the group to give suggestions, Archie finally getting the hang of the lights enough to stop the random flashes of color, Mrs. Wells nodding her approval.  
When they reached a scene where Ichabod goes to the Van Tassel estate, Nick, Sara, and Gil all walked to the center of the stage. Gil retreated to the left corner as everyone else arranged themselves around Sara and Nick, pretending to be children playing a game. As the rest of the class wasn't there to play the children, the group was improvising. Archie was obviously paying attention to the cues, because some music started and Sara put on the blindfold she was supposed to be wearing.  
"Action!" Jim said, and Nick, feeling very contented, began to spin Sara around slowly, his hand in hers as Gil walked onto the stage. Catherine, pretending to be a little girl, lead Gil over to where Nick and Sara where joyously dancing. Nick took his hands reluctantly out of Sara's and Gil held them instead. "Now guess who it is," giggled Catherine in a childish voice.  
"Oh, I don't know," Sara said. She was trying to remember the exact wording of her script, as she couldn't read from it like the others while she had a blindfold on. "Is it Brom Bones?"  
"Certainly not," Nick said with a slight edge to his tone. He was standing behind her, as the script instructed, and he was doing an admirable job of "acting" jealous.  
Sara felt Gil's face, her character trying to determine who it could be other than Brom that would be holding her hands. Gil slowly lifted the blindfold from Sara's eyes, and she said in a shy voice, "Forgive me. I did not know."  
Gil did an excellent job of looking flustered, although he vaguely felt there was someone else he wished Katrina to be, and said, "I...I'm looking for Baltus Van Tassel."  
"Cut!" Mrs. Wells cried happily. "That was lovely!"

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A/N: Such a short chapter! I'm sorry! I don't like this one nearly as much as the first one, I'll try to do better next time. Of course, it would help if I'd get some reviews!  
Thanks a billion!  
Maddy


	4. Coffee and Cigarettes

A/N: For all of you who are wondering, I made a typo in the last chapter. The play they're doing isn't "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow", it's the bastardized version that Johnny Depp is in, and it's just called "Sleepy Hollow". I'm sorry for any confusion, but I swear I didn't think that there was a difference.

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All eight teenagers exited the school together, chatting and laughing about that day's rehearsal. Catherine was walking at the head of the group, and she invited Gil to walk with her and choose a place to go hang out. Gil declined with as much dignity as he could muster, stepping quickly to walk in the back of the group with Jim, and hiding the blush that was creeping up his neck.

Feeling disappointed, Catherine took out a crinkly pack of Lucky Strikes and, cupping the flame from her lighter with one hand, lit the cigarette that she held between her teeth. Taking a long drag, she turned to the rest of the group and said loudly, "We're going to a coffee shop. We're going to be friends and talk about each other!"

Sara blanched. She hadn't even told Greg and Nick about her mother killing her father, much less a whole group of people she barely knew. "Maybe I can steer clear of that," she thought nervously.

Warrick was having similar feelings. He knew that they were going to ask why he didn't live with his parents. Not feeling ready at all, he braced himself for the questions he felt sure were inevitable.

Nick wasn't quite as nervous, but the cogs in his mind were whirring at top speed trying to think of a way to avoid the subject of babysitters. He didn't want to lie, and he knew it was an unlikely topic, but the fear still gnawed at the back of his mind.

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"Eight medium mocha lattes, please," Catherine said, deciding the orders for the rest of the group. "Put it on Sam Braun's tab."

The others gaped at her. Sam Braun, the infamous Las Vegas tycoon, surely wouldn't be associating with a bunch of freshmen. But when the barista asked her name and Cathy replied "Catherine Willows," in a voice as cool as can be, flashing a school ID, they thought she couldn't be faking.

Collecting their lattes and heading to a large table in the back of the shop, Greg and Sara were whispering about how Catherine could know Sam Braun. When they were all seated, Nick asked bluntly, "How do you know someone like Braun?"

"He used to date my mom, and we're still in touch. He's already bought a car for my sixteenth birthday. He's sort of trying to make up for the fact that I never had a father, I think." While Catherine was talking, Gil was looking at her, entranced by her story.

"Enough about me," she said, jerking him out of his reverie, "Let's hear about…Nick. Tell us the origin of that Texan accent."

Nick looked at her and raised his eyebrows. "I'm from Texas, genius," he said plainly. "I lived there until I was ten."

"Well of course you're from Texas," Catherine persisted. "I mean, why did you leave? Are you chasing down some girl who said she'd meet you in Las Vegas when you were both eighteen and could get married? Come on, humor me."

Nick knew very well why his family had left, and that was the very subject he was avoiding. Gritting his teeth, he steeled himself for the lie that was about to burst, full bloom, from his mouth. "My parents wanted a change of scenery, I guess."

"Oh." Catherine wilted. She turned to Greg and asked, "Where are you from?"

Greg looked delighted at the thought of sharing about his family, and launched into a long monologue about his Papa Olaf and an eventful Christmas dinner, ending with a Norwegian proverb. "Trå lett når møte en kones familie," he said knowledgeably.

Sara told about her foster family, leaving out, of course, that they weren't actually related. She once slipped up, almost calling her foster father "Mr. Peterson", but catching herself before it was too late. This attracted a quizzical look from Nick, but no one else seemed to have noticed.

Before long, it was almost dark and the group parted, walking in separate directions and each thinking about their new friends. Warrick was relieved that he'd never had to share why he lived with Grams, and he was glad.

Nick, however, was still mad at himself for lying about coming to Las Vegas. "Why can't I just come out and say it?" he asked himself, "It's three simple words. I was raped."

But now that he was thinking about it, the pain of the trials and the lawyers came flooding back, and once again he was a scared nine-year-old boy, and he just wanted everyone to leave him alone.

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A/N: Wow, that's a powerful chapter for character development. I'll answer more reviews in the next chapter, but only if I get some reviews to answer! That means you!

I still love you, don't worry,

Maddy

P.S. Sorry about the weird paragraph spacing, I'm on the computer at my mom's house and it won't let me do what I want!

P.P.S. Greg says "Tread lightly when meeting your girlfriend's family." His story is about him inviting his first girlfriend's family over for a Christmas dinner and having his grandfather ruin it...If enough people review I'll tell you how.


	5. Concussions and Kisses

A/N: Greg's story is about his grandfather pulling down all the family photo albums. In the end, his girlfriend dumps him, mistaking him for gay after apicture of him wearing his mother's high heels and nothing else, and she spreads it all over the school, making him a laughingstock. Now to answer some of my wonderful reviewers!

**Gorgeous Nick Stokes:** I'm planning on putting some more Nick angst in chapter seven, once I deal with the problem that arises in this chapter.

**battlestarcsi: **I'm not sure if I'm putting Sara with Greg or Nick, I'm sort of having them fight over her for the time being. I wrote a great scene that I'm putting as chapter ten or eleven.

**ObessedTWFan:** It was totally a coincidence, making Sara's foster father's last name Peterson. And I put in Greg's story just for you!

**JoonSanders:** I wasn't sure how well the "dark-haired boy" thing would go over with everyone, I'm glad you like it! The only reason I had Greg like social studies (I think it's dumb, too) is that he seems to me like a very SOCIAL person. And also, I was running out of classes to put him in! That's me, the lazy auther who doesn't like to think very hard.

XoXoXoXoX

After school, on the third Friday of the year, Catherine and Gil were on the stage of the auditorium. The rest of the actors were seated in the front row, Jim on the far left, Warrick sitting on his right, Nick to the right of Warrick, followed by Sara, Greg, and Mrs. Wells, whose beady eyes were shining behind her coke-bottle glasses.

Catherine was wielding a heavy wooden sword, one she had complained about the moment she'd gotten it. As she took a swipe at Gil, the sword weighed down on her arm, taking her swing too far and knocking Gil to the ground. Catherine gasped audibly, bending over him only to find he wasn't moving. She checked for a pulse, and finding one, breathed a sigh of relief. Nick jumped up onto the stage and hefted Gil over his broad shoulders, motioning with a jerk of his head for Catherine to come with him to take Gil to the nurse's office.

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine stayed behind after everyone had left, the occasional tear running down her cheek as she rubbed Gil's hand with her thumb.

"I'm so stupid, so clumsy, my mother says I'm going to kill someone someday and she's right, I should have refused to act with the sword, I'm such an idiot!" Catherine fumed at herself. "Shit! He's one of the only friends I've got and I nearly killed him, he probably has a concussion, he'll never forgive me."

Catherine's thoughts were less angry, and the tears were flowing freely down her face as she wallowed in a pool of self-pity.

Taking a deep breath, she leaned back in the stiff plastic chair and thought about everything. "I've been a bully all my life, I've been arrested and I'm not even sixteen, I've never had a real friend and the moment someone tries to get close to me I hurt them. I'm a curse. No one will ever come near me again. I'm better off on my own, I don't need them!"

Catherine had gone back to anger, not at herself but at her friends, for trusting her. "Why didn't they know?" she asked herself," Why couldn't they see that I'm no good. That I'd hurt them if they got too close. And now the only boy I've ever…" her thoughts trailed off and she wasn't sure where they were leading. "Anyway," she thought quickly, "he's my friend and I should have known he'd get hurt from me."

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine arrived at Gil's house with a book and a packet of paper in her hands. It was late September, and still warm outside. It had been four days since the accident, and she hadn't seen him since leaving the nurse's office.

She rang the doorbell, faintly hearing the echoing noise it made in the prim little house. To her surprise, Gil answered the door. He hadn't been in school that day or the Monday that preceded it, and he was wearing a t-shirt and flannel pajama pants.

"Hi," she said nervously, stepping inside as he opened the door to let her pass. "They, um, revised the script," she said, handing him the neatly stapled packet. "Mrs. Wells thought we should take out the last scene until I've had some fencing lessons."

A blush marred her porcelain face as she said this, feeling foolish at her lack of skill.

Gil watched the pink tint spread over her features, admiring the perfect way it accented her high cheekbones. When Catherine saw him staring she tried to casually cover her face with both hands, only then remembering the book that was clutched in one of them.

"I thought you might be bored, sitting around here all day," she said, thrusting the book at him and staring at her feet.

Gil took the book with some surprise, reading the title. _Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance_. He had been meaning to pick up this book for a while, having heard some good comments about it.

"You can keep it, I read it already," Catherine said stiffly.

"Thanks, Cathy," Gil said, stupefied. He couldn't deduce how she seemed to know him so well. He had thought no one would ever be able to pick a nice gift for him, not even his parents. The best thing they ever got him was a kid's chem. Lab.

"Well, 'bye, Gil," Cathy said in a strained voice, standing close to kiss Gil on the cheek before hurrying out of the house.

It was his turn to blush, and blush he did, a violent pink spreading from the tingling spot on his cheek to the rest of his face. At a glance one would think this boy, this straight-A science geek with a bug collection, looked comical gazing at the door, swinging in the wind. When you examine his face, though, the tears building in his soft blue eyes, and the darkest cloud of disappointment showing behind them, you can see the heartbreak and pain, the suffering and the torture, behind the blue eyes. He knew there was something in the way Catherine had spoken, that it was the last goodbye.

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: So, what did you think? I know it's really short and I'm going to try to make the next chapters longer, but cut me some slack! My sister spilled water all over my keyboard and I had to wait forever for it to dry out. Anyway, dis it or dig it, I'd love a review! Of course I'm always more accepting of the nice ones, but anything works! You reviewers get me through the day!

Love,

Maddy


	6. If you want something done right

A/N: Hey everybody. I am going to reply to my reviewers and celebrate that I have now broken 700 hits. If I had that many reviews, now that would be something. But...

**ObessedTWFan:** I'm usually all for Warrick and Catherine, too, but I wanted to see if I could make a good Gil/Cath. The romance should be heating up in the next chapter, but it doesn't get really good until chapter 10 or 11. Catherine's birthday.

**JoonSanders: **Why are you stunned to wordlessness? I hope I didn't make you sad! > 

**XxbluemoonxX:** Thanks for saying nice things about my story, I love to hear 'em!

**Greglvr-127: **Sorry, but I can't put you in my story and hook you up with Greg. Look for yourself, though, because I think I have a small part you can play. And I will definitely IM you sometime, I'll try to check out your fics, too.

XoXoXoXoX

That Thursday, at lunch, Catherine was not at the back table with Sara, Nick, Greg, the newly recovered Gil, and everyone else. In fact, she wasn't in the cafeteria at all, and the group speculated on this.

"She wasn't in English this morning," Gil said with a brooding expression marring his face. "Is she even in school?"

"Yeah…" Sara trailed off. "I saw her this morning, before school, but maybe she went home?" Sara didn't want to tell any of the guys that she had seen Catherine crying in the bathroom. She knew as well as anyone that Cath had a big reputation as a bully, and she didn't want to be responsible for a ruined rep.

Catherine's whereabouts were the main topic of conversation, and Warrick didn't see her in Middle East Social Studies after lunch either. When he asked Mrs. Wells if she had gone home sick, her answer surprised him. "She didn't say exactly, but she came in this morning and said she might not be coming back for a little while. She also said she was resigning from the school play." The usual dreamy look was gone from the teacher's face, and it was replaced by a look of concern. "Do you know what's happened to her? She's a great actress, you know."

Warrick just looked helplessly at the teacher, deciding it was time to take matters into his own hands.

XoXoXoXoX

"Hello?" A disgruntled female voice had answered on the other end of the line, and Warrick was sure it wasn't Catherine's.

"Ms. Willows? My name is Warrick Brown; I'm a friend of Catherine's, from school." Warrick was nervous talking to Ms. Willows, and he was trying desperately to remain calm and collected.

"Hang on a sec, lemme get her for you," Catherine's mother said gruffly, but before she could call Cathy down, Warrick interrupted quickly, "No, I don't need to talk to her, I just need to know if she's going to be at school tomorrow."

"Yeah, she better," Ms. Willows said in a tone that made Warrick justifiably uncomfortable. "Home sick my ass, I don't know what kind of shit she's trying to pull. I know what she does on the weekends with those loser friends of hers."

Warrick, on the other hand, had no idea what Cathy supposedly did with "those loser friends", but he chose to ignore it and said his goodbyes quickly.

XoXoXoXoX

The next day, Warrick snuck into the school behind Catherine, undetected by her and everyone else. He deftly unzipped her backpack without disturbing her or the steady stream of music coming through on her headphones, and took out her textbook for the class she had with him. Two periods after lunch should give him enough time, by his calculations.

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine was sorting through her textbooks at her locker, and noticed that she was missing the one for second period after lunch. "And on the day of the open-text quiz," she thought angrily, noticing only then that a small slip of paper with neat printing on it was at the bottom of her backpack.

If you want your book back, come to the side entrance, ten minutes before lunch ends. You'll thank me when you hear me out.

Catherine had no idea what this person was talking about, but she decided hastily that she would go and see what he had to say, beat him up if he didn't give her back her text.

XoXoXoXoX

At precisely ten minutes until noon, Catherine was waiting at the side entrance to McKinley high, and a familiar face was staring back at her.

"Warrick, what the hell is up with you?" she snarled, trying to snatch her book back from him. "I don't want to hang out with you and all the losers!"

Catherine knew as she said this that she was lying through her teeth, and it seemed that Warrick knew, too, because he showed no sign of emotion at the harshness of her words. "Just listen to me, Cath," he said patiently. "Gil hasn't been the same since you stopped hanging out with us. Sara misses you and we all want you back, and I know you want to come back! What's wrong with you?"

Catherine slapped Warrick across the face, a red mark clearly visible on his cheek. She grabbed the textbook off the floor where Warrick had dropped it, and ran.

XoXoXoXoX

Sara entered the bathroom to a familiar voice sobbing. She quickly locked the door to the rest of the school, and after making sure no one else was in the rest room, knocked on the door of a stall.

"Cat, it's just me. I want to know what happened."

"Go away, Sara! I hate you!" Catherine screamed through the cheap Formica door at her friend, and began to cry harder. Sara blinked, barely fazed by her friend's words, then hopped into the stall on one side and, climbing onto the seat of the toilet, stared down at her friend, who was in a similar position.

"Cathy, why can't you tell me?" Sara's face bore genuine concern and something about that expression made Catherine say everything she had been storing up since the accident a week before.

"Everyone I meet hates me and if I start to care about them they get hurt and I don't want them to and I can't make it go away and Gil hates me but I love—" Catherine stopped, mid-rant. "I did not say that," her mind was screaming. "I don't love Gil." But another side of her mind fought back, one that knew what was going on.

Sara, meanwhile, was looking thoughtfully at the girl across from her, the girl whose raccoon circles of eyeliner were running down her cheeks and whose expression was that which a person might wear when they have just been shot by their best friend. A look of disbelief at a betrayal.

"She loves Gil," Sara mused, reaching over the partition and taking her friend's hand. "It's okay, Cat," she said soothingly, still puzzling over the bizarre situation they were in. "Let's get down off these toilets and talk it out."

Catherine allowed her friend to unlock the door and, after a long talk, a conclusion was reached.

"Let me get this straight," Sara said. "You thought he hated you for hitting him in the back of the head with a wooden sword, so you gave him a gift and a kiss, and you expected to leave us all alone?"

Catherine felt rather foolish, because when her friend put it like that, it sounded like Cath was being selfish and rude.

"I don't know how he feels about you, but he doesn't hate you and I think you've got a bad love buzz," she continued, "so why don't you come back to the group and we'll see how he reacts."

Catherine nodded. "I will, on one condition. The entire group has to do something I want in three weeks. It's my birthday, and I have just the thing in mind."

XoXoXoXoX

That afternoon, sitting at their usual table in Catherine's coffee shop, everyone was looking at her with a skeptical look on his or her face.

"You're taking us to do some surprise for your birthday?" Nick asked. "And you won't tell us what it is? It sounds suspicious to me."

Catherine smiled mischievously. "All in good time, my dear Nicky. All in good time."

XoXoXoXoX

I've been watching Season 3 on DVD, and I just saw Lady Heather's Box. I missed it before, and I can't believe I missed one where Gil gets laid! Well, I hope you like the chapter, that episode sort of inspired me. As always, reviews are appreciated!

Maddy


	7. Getting to know eachother

A/N: For all the people (well, the three people) who asked, you will be finding out about Cathy's birthday in either chapter 10 or 11. I've written it already, I just have to get there. Another note, this chapter has a sort of deep Greg moment, so don't get weirded out that he's not really hyper like in all the other fanfics. Now to my reviewers:

**ObessedTWFan:** I still really don't know who gets to be with Sara, once I get more regular reviewers I think I'll take a vote. Maybe. Cath's birthday is a surprise, so keep reading!

**JoonSanders: **Thanks for defining worldlessness. I got Cathy's sadness from Lady Heather's Box, when she's crying about Eddie dying. I love that episode!

**CSIrookiechick:**How do I know Gil gets laid? Well, he's at Lady Heather's in the middle of the night, and they're about to kiss when we go to a scene with Catherine. Then, he's there having tea with her the next morning. If that doesn't scream SEX, then I don't know what does.

**XxbluemoonxX: **The episode is called Lady Heather's Box and it's in season three. It's very great, you should rent it! What's your email address?

XoXoXoXoX

Nick was hiding something. Sara could see it in his brown eyes, the way his brows were furrowed and he wasn't saying anything. "You gonna tell me what's up, Nicky? Does it have anything to do with the real reason you moved to Vegas?"

Nick looked at her, torn between the wish to fulfill her desires and the urgent need to keep his secrets hidden from the outside world. More to stall for time than because he was curious, he asked, "How'd you know I didn't come here because my parents felt like it?"

Sara smirked. "You aren't as good a liar as you think you are. I can read you like a book."

A look of horror shadowed Nick's face, disappearing before Sara could notice it. "Does she know what I dream about her?" he thought, terrified.

"I'll tell you, but only if you tell me why you never let anyone come over to your house. That's something I'd like to know," Nick was genuinely interested in this, and he gave his full attention to her while she tried to answer.

"I…Well, my mom…Nick, can I tell you later? I can tell Greg, too, because I really don't want to have to say the whole story twice."

"Alright," Nick said, "but I'm not telling you why I moved here until I can tell Greg, too."

"Fine," Sara said, mentally kicking herself for getting roped into telling not just one, but two people about her mother killing her father.

"The three of us will go to the arcade after school," Nick said, also blanching at the thought of telling two people who he'd only known for a month about the last-minute babysitter and what she'd done.

XoXoXoXoX

"Hey, Greg?" Sara asked nervously. "Me and Nick are going to the arcade after school, are you in?"

"Okay," Greg said in a skeptical voice. "You're not trying to trick me into anything, are you? Because if you were…"

Sara laughed in spite of herself. Maybe telling Greg and Nick would be good for her. "Of course not, Greggo, what kind of person do you take me for?"

Greg gave her a meaningful look. "Don't answer that," she said, seeing the mischievous look in his eye.

XoXoXoXoX

After school, Nick, Sara, and Greg all walked to the nickel arcade a few blocks from school. Greg had his skateboard sticking out of the top of his backpack, and Sara had left her bike chained at the school.

"Sara, you want to play me at Dance Dance Revolution?" Greg had noticed that neither of his companions was talking much, and he had taken to challenging them to games, just to break the awkward silence.

"Sure, Greggo," Sara said in a defeated voice. She had already turned him down for racing motorcycles, Street fighter, Bust-a-move, and a lot of other things.

Greg danced victoriously for a moment, and then stopped at the look Nick was giving him.

When they got to the arcade, Greg won every game he played against Nick and Sara. Both of them seemed to be letting him win, and it was giving him the heebie-jeebies.

On the way home, Nick began the conversation first. "I lied about moving here for a change of scenery. When I was nine, my parents hired a last minute babysitter. I was supposed to be able to trust her, but she raped me. I couldn't tell my parents, but I got really depressed and they decided to move and start over."

Sara looked at him, amazed. A tear was threatening to spill from her eye, and she hadn't even told her story yet.

"I live with a foster family," she said, drawing Greg's attention away from Nick, who was trying not to cry. "My mother stabbed my father when I was twelve, and I haven't seen her since. She went to jail and I never visited her. She writes to me sometimes, but I've never written back. I didn't want to have anyone over because there's no way I could fake that my foster family was my real family. They're all Japanese, and I knew that I couldn't fit in without raising some questions."

Sara's voice was cracking a little, and a tear had slid down her cheek. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier, I just didn't know what you'd think of me, having a murderer for a mother."

Nick was the first to respond. "Sara, we wouldn't think any less of you if your parents had single-handedly taken down an entire race of people!" There was sincerity in his voice, and she looked at him in admiration.

Greg was overwhelmed by the two confessions he had just heard. "They've had it so much harder than me," he thought sadly, "and I never even noticed anything. I'm a terrible friend. Here I was, sharing stories about my family and how great they are, and Sara has no real relatives. I've been talking about how much I hated my babysitter when I was younger, and Nick had it so much worse. But he was sympathetic, and he never tried to get any pity out of anyone. My two best friends must be the strongest people ever, if they can live through an ordeal like this and still have the heart to go to school and make friends, to laugh and smile as if nothing's wrong. I could never do what they have done, and they completely fooled me into thinking they were just like me. I have the best friends a guy could ever meet."

Without warning, Greg grabbed both of his companions and pulled them into an awkward hug, mashing them together. "You guys are so great; I can't believe you kept this from me for so long!"

When he finally released them, the three of them walked home, each of them feeling much closer to the other two, and each of them knowing that what they had heard and said was only the beginning of getting to know each other.

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: I decided to put some Nick and Sara angst in there, but I tried to keep it light. Sorry that I still haven't put in that much romance, but it's coming. I've been doing more with Gil and Cath, but I'll get to Nick, Greg, and Sara soon enough. Oh yes, and Warrick gets someone, too. Just hang tight, keep reading, and, as always, review!

Maddy


	8. Before Opening Night

A/N: Hey, everyone! I'm just putting in a short beginning note to announce that I have finally broken 1000 hits! And, I'm also here to scold you for not reviewing. The only two people reading this who are exused are **XxbluemoonxX **and **Gorgeous Nick Stokes**. Thanks, guys! Your reviews keep me going! Anyway, enjoy the story!

XoXoXoXoX

It was Thursday, October 30th. Catherine was tapping her nails on the desk in a rapid, annoyed rhythm. The clock was ticking and Mr. Schick, who was on detention duty, was absorbed in his book. "Class got out almost half an hour ago..." Cathy thought wistfully, glancing at the door as though time would move faster if she wasn't watching the clock. She wondered vaguely what Gil was doing, asking herself if he would be thinking about her, maybe thumbing through Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, looking at the notes she's taken in the margines.  
What she didn't know was that Gil was standing outside the room in which she was currently suffering, waiting for her to come out. He had the book in his hand, propped open by his thumb and held up to his face with the rest of his hand. He was admiring the neat dot of each "i" and the wavy cross of each "t", the hasty way in which none of her sentences played host to capitals.  
Deciding, at last, to sneak out of detention, Catherine called up to Mr. Schick. "Can I use the bathroom?" she said, trying to look as innocent as possible. He waved a hand lazily in her direction, and she walked quickly out the door. When she stepped out into the corridor, she noticed that the exit at the end of the hallway had just banged shut. She only wondered who it was in a passing thought, hurridly setting her sights once again on the elusive Gil Grissom, and a way to tell him how she felt.

XoXoXoXoX

Gil exited the school bearing a depressed demeanor, his clear blue eyes seeming troubled. "It's not like Catherine to stay in detention for an entire period," he thought anxiously. Then a thought struck him. "What if she knows I was waiting for her? What if she was so revolted by the thought that I was waiting, that she decided to stay in detention instead?" His thoughts were frantic, leaping about his mind like frogs on a lake. He calmed himself, somehow, and hurried home without pausing to look back, and without giving a second thought to Catherine Willows.

XoXoXoXoX

"I can't believe they stuck us with all the work!" Sara Sidle said angrily, all but tearing down the large piece of cloth she was supposed to be hanging on the set of the stage. She cought herself just in time, though, and stuck a pin in the corner to hold it up. "Watch what you're doing, Sara," Warrick cautioned. They were the only two in the group of actors staying after school to set up the stage for tomorrow's play. Sara had clumsily managed to turn on the stage lights, but all they were doing was giving off a faint blue light, barely enough to work by in the windowless auditorium."Hey, Rick," Sara said, deciding that there should be no secrets between her and any of her friends, "My mom killed my dad when I was twelve."  
Warrick nearly fell over from surprise. He stumbled, grabbing a bulky prop in the process and barely managing to stay on his feet. "Jesus, why are you telling me now? I'm glad to know, but it's not like it was actually in the way of our conversation..."  
Sara felt immediately embarrassed. She blushed to the roots of her hair and said quickly, "I told Greg and Nick and I thought, if I tell them I should tell you and Cath, Gil, Jim, and Archie""Oh," Warrick said blandly. He didn't seem at all surprised once he'd gotten over the initial shock, and Sara looked quizically at him. "Now, are you going to tell me why you live with your grandmother?"  
In answer to his look, she explained, "I called your house once and she answered." "Well, both my parents were killed when I was really young. I don't even remember them."  
Sara felt her stomach sink. Everyone she knew lived these lives full of pain, suffering. She started to wonder, "Why do all these people gravitate together? Do they sense that they aren't alone? Is there some kind of radar in our minds that tell us where tragedy has struck, who can understand the torture we endure every night when we try to sleep?"  
She snapped out of her reverie, turning back to the stage and deciding to get some work done. After several minutes of awkward silence, Warrick spoke.  
"What do you think Catherine's planning for her birthday?"  
"Knowing her, it'll be something wild. Maybe she'll make us all go to see The Rocky Horror Picture Show, or something..." Sara speculated. "I'm sure it'll be good, whatever it is. I bet even Gil will enjoy it."  
Warrick snickered. "Knowing both of them, I'm sure Gil will enjoy it."  
Sara laughed, wondering if the two of them had ditched set-up duty to go on a date. She reconsidered, though, after trying fruitlessly to imagine Gil on a real date. She amused herself for a moment by wondering where he would take a girl, if he would think of going out to a resturant or movie, or if he would think of something weird right off the bat.  
Warrick was having similar thoughts. He couldn't imagine Gil being alone with a girl, much less on a date with one. He laughed, thinking of Gil trying to kiss a girl. Sara looked over at him when he laughed, and both of them knew that they were thinking more or less along the same lines.  
"I think we're done," said Warrick. They both stood back to admire their handiwork. It was a spectacular sight.  
"I've got to get home, Rick," Sara said in an apologetic tone of voice. "You'll have to get Mrs. Wells and show her the stage, I'll be late for dinner. My foster family is really strict."  
Warrick smiled understandingly. "Don't worry, I got it covered. You go and make sure they don't kick you outta the house." Sara grinned, taking off into the hallway and speeding all the way home.

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: Hopefully this time more people will review, and if all my regulars send me something to keep me happy, I'll post the next chapter tomorrow. Just as a heads, I don't really know how Warrick's parents died, just that they're dead. So bear with me, I'm doing my best. Also, the couple's don't really get together until late May/early June, so don't expect anything 'til then. It's still hardly November. By the by, my birthday is November fifth, and I'd love it if you'd all send me some nice reviews that day...I started high school today, and it's really fun so far. Anyway, I'll see you in the next chapter!  
Hugs and kisses,  
Maddy


	9. The Performance

A/N: I've gotten a lot of reviews, and I can only reply to a few of them or I'll spend like three hours replying. Well, not that long, but I have a ton of English and Social Studies homework that I have to get to. Blargh. Anyway, if I don't reply you, review again next time and I'll be sure to reply then.

**BloodOfEden:** I wasn't sure if I should have Sara blurt stuff out, it didn't really seem like something she would do, to me. But I didn't want her keeping it a secret, so...Glad you think it's good!

**JoonSanders:** I totally understand about life. Even as a lame fanfiction writer who updates daily, I know what it's like to have a life. So you don't have to feel bad about not reviewing. Just make sure you keep reading, k?

**Sweet Jorja:** I inspired you? WOW! I feel so...inspiring. Thanks for taking the time to review, unlike SOME people who read this story. You know who you are, people...

XoXoXoXoX

Greg watched as the curtains lifted. He was at stage left and his heart was racing. He was dressed in old-fashioned turn-of-the-century clothing, carrying a lantern. Catherine was next to him in a long black robe which hid her head. She was carrying the heavy sword, which was metal. Greg looked nervously at the sword, wishing they hadn't written it back into the script. Instead of taking the sword out, the writers had written out the scene in which Catherine kills Ichabod Crane. "But they can kill me and no one will care," Greg thought sarcastically. The stage lights came on, and he ran onto the stage, lantern swinging wildly from his hand. Archie cued up some loud footsteps to play from the speakers, and at their apex, Catherine charged onto the stage, looking menacing.  
Greg ran into a small fake briar patch that Warrick and Sara had erected the previous day, smearing fake blood on his face as he went through, and coming out looking thouroughly scathed. Behind him, Catherine had drawn her sword, which was, in truth, dull as a spoon, but looked real from the audience's point of view.  
With a slash, perfectly on cue with the sound effects, Catherine swiped at Greg's neck, and as he pretended to grasp at the "cut", he burst a blood pouch with a pin that he held in his right hand. He fell spectacularly, the blood making him seem as if he'd had a very real beheading. Greg heard Sara gasp, and he almost smiled.Catching himself, he fought the urge to blink and held his breath. The stage lights went out, flooding the auditorium with darkness. The stage crew hurried onto the stage, changing the set without skipping a beat.

XoXoXoXoX

Gil was on stage, in his place beside Greg's "lifeless" body. He struggled to drag Greg over to where a few other actors were standing impatiently. They struck up a brief dialogue, changed scenes, and were soon on the set of the morgue. Gil was arguing for an autopsy with his mouth, but his mind was somewhere else entirely. He was thinking anxiously about the afterparty at Sara's house. She had told him, along with the rest of the group, about her parents and was celebrating by allowing them all to meet her foster family. Gil was thinking of the plain black dress shirt he had bought for the occasion, and what Catherine would think of it.  
Soon enough, Gil was exiting the stage and the crew was dragging yet another scene, this time of the Van Tassel estate, where he would soon be acting the part of one who has experienced love at first sight. Gil knew he wouldn't be acting, had it been a certain other girl playing the object of his affections. Not acting at all.

XoXoXoXoX

Nick was tying Sara's blindfold on, and he finished just before the spotlight turned on directly over them. A group of their peers, playing children, were sitting in a circle around them. Nick took Sara's hands, and they whirled joyously among the children. One of the girls had leg Gil over, and now Sara was pulling her hands out of Nick's protecting grasp, and placing them unceremoniously in Gil's nervously shaking ones. Nick said his lines, paying little attention to what was coming out of his mouth, his eyes trained on the back of Sara's head. He felt a pang of real jealousy when Gil lifted the blindfold off her face, and the sappy, lovesick look came over his features.  
Nick wished he could look at Sara with those eyes, stare deep into her soul and hold her hands so caringly. "Wait." Nick stopped himself from thinking of what would happen next. "I always liked her, but it was never this intense." He dismissed it as a heat-of-the-moment kind of thought, and tried to concentrate on his lines. It seemed that the lights could not turn out soon enough for Nick, and he hurried off the stage with Sara at his heels.

XoXoXoXoX

Sara remembered, in the practices after school, deciding just how to do the kissing scenes with Gil. They had decided that they would kiss right next to each other's mouths, giving the illusion that they were actually kissing. Now, however, when she was faced with the actual problem, she felt her muscles stiffen and her legs turn to gel.  
Somehow, she managed to make her way over to him on the stage. She held his face in her hands, kissing him lightly on the cheek. She shivered slightly as his lips brushed the corner of her mouth. She might not have minded if it were Nick or Greg, she was much closer to them, after all. Finally finishing the scene, she and Gil both sighed with relief. They whispered awkwardly while they walked offstage, both vehemently denying that they had any feelings for each other. The funny thing was, both of them were telling the truth.

XoXoXoXoX

At the after-party, Warrick was gazing silently around the room full of his friends. Jim and Archie were talking animatedly, though from his place in the back corner, Warrick couldn't hear what they were saying. He could see Sara, Greg, and Nick making their way over to him, Sara in the lead and the two boys following like obediant dogs. Soon, the three boys and Sara had struck up a conversation, all of them teasing her about the kissing scene with Gil. Sara blushed furiously, wacking Greg, who was closest to her, with her hand before giving up and laughing with the rest of them.Further along the back wall, Catherine and Gil had both joined Archie and Jim, and they were all illustrating their points with hand gestures and motions. They were clearly enjoying themselves. Soon, both groups had merged into one, and they were all having an interesting conversation regarding the play, each of them pointing out their favorite part. Many said Sara and Gil's kissing scene, causing both the participants to blush madly and laugh in an embarrassed sort of way.  
Before they knew it, cars were arriving. Parents were coming in to collect their child, leaving quickly, and leaving the group with one less person. Soon, only Sara and Nick were left. "Well, Sara, I guess I'll see you on Monday," Nick said, as his mother's expensive black car pulled into the driveway. "Okay," Sara said sadly. She didn't want him to leave, because it seemed to her that once everyone was gone, the magic of the night would be sucked away and she would be left with nothing. Nick didn't want to leave, either, but for different reasons entirely. Giving Sara a quick hug, he hurried out the door, closing it softly behind him. Feeling the magic disappearing into thin air, she stood in the middle of a room that had once held the best friends she had ever had, and Sara began to cry.  
XoXoXoXoX  
A/N: Oh my god! I did not realize there was a kissing scene until I was writing this chapter, and I had to completely improvise around it. I was also writing under the impression that Ichabod dies, which is in the original play but not the movie. I just went back and wrote in that they changed the script, so I'm sorry if this isn't my best piece. I have a couple of others that are better coming up. Anyway, if you review, I will post tomorrow!  
Hugs and kisses,  
Maddy


	10. Catherine's Surprise

A/N: This is a really long chapter, because I have to include pieces of all the songs they sing, but I really like it. I think it's a good chapter for plot, especially developing Grissom, Nick, and Greg's feelings. As a short disclaimer, the songs belong No Doubt, The Verve Pipe, The Cure, Dashboard Confessional, Keane, Pink Floyd, and N'sync, in an order that I can't remember, but the first song belongs to me. I wrote it, and therefore it is property of Minus One. I only included the chorus because it's ending as they chapter starts. I'm not going to reply to reviewers, sorry! I just ordered my new French textbook and they're going to call later tonight. I swear I will reply to all you lovely people next time!

XoXoXoXoX

As Catherine and the group walked into the coffee shop for her birthday surprise, atall black girl was crooning into the microphone on the stage, her eyes were closed. She was belting out the words with a force that seemed not to fit the gentle swaying of her body.

_I'm dancing in the rain, so no one sees how hard I cry. Dancing to the same old tune, can't kill the pain, but I can try. Singing along to a familiar song, with words that never seem to rhyme.  
Dancing in the rain, to see if I can forget you this time._

As the girl stepped off the stage, Catherine broke into applause and waved wildly for her to join the table. "I'm Catherine, that was great! Let me buy you a Coke." Cathy waived over the waitress from the counter of the cafe, said some quick words and handed over two dollars. While all this was happening, the rest of the group had introduced itself to Mia, and she was now sitting comfortably with Sara on her right and Catherine's vacated chair on her left. Meanwhile, the man onstage had beckoned Catherine up and she was choosing from a list of songs on the karaoke machine. Soon, a guitar was starting in the backround, and Cathy was leaning in, singing softly. The guitar sped up quickly and the energy on stage built up with it, Catherine was soon dancing around with the mic in hand.

_Oh, I'm just a girl, I'd rather not be,  
Cause they won't let me drive late at night,  
I'm just a girl, must be some kind of freak,  
'Cause they all sit and stare with their eyes.  
_

Every eye was fixed on the strawberry-blonde head onstage, but a boy at a crowded table in the middle of the room was particularly interested. Gil's blue eyes were trained on the ball of energy that was Catherine Willows. Too soon, the song was over and Cathy was back at the table, dragging a horror-stricken Gil onstage.

Only half-struggling from her grasp, he was listening nervously to the music playing in the backround, waiting for his cue. He had chosen a song from a particular incident the week before, feeling that it fit the incident with the detention hall.The entire table was surprised at what a voice he had, soft and low, complimenting the piano music perfectly.

_I got electric light, and I got second sight. Got amazing powers of observation,  
And that is how I know,  
When I try to get through on the telephone to you,  
There'll be nobody home.  
_

Gil was trying not to look at Cathy, but her eyes found his for a moment before he broke the contact. She knew something was up, but Gil was too hard to read and she didn't investigate further. The song was short, and Gil was off the stage in no time, ignoring the few shouts for an encore. He took a long pull from his Coke, glad to have some distraction to the feeling of a blush growing up his neck and face.

Warrick was making his way up to the stage, to everyone's surprise. He had gone over the entire list of songs, and to furhter astonishment, he was approaching the manager and motioning towards the piano on the back of the stage, next to the curtain. The manager, a blonde girl in a bright yellow tank-top whose name tag proclaimed the loud phrase, "My name is Allison",looked quizical, then nodded and sat back down. Warrick stepped up to the piano, his fingers tracing the keys nervously, before he sat on the bench and began to play. He sang the verse and chorus, and when he reached the bridge the music he was playing became a cresendo of sound and wonder.

_If you have a minute why don't we go,  
Talk about it somewhere only we know, This could be the end of everything,  
So why don't we go somewhere only we know._

Only Catherine saw, but Mia's eyes were shining and her eyelashes glittered with tears. Her smile was so sincere when Warrick stepped off the stage and pushed his glasses up his nose that he looked around to see if she was smiling at someone behind him. She giggled a little, then looked down, blushing. Nick and Greg were arguing over who was to sing next, and Catherine could only settle it by clapping one hand over Greg's mouth and using the other to shove Nick in the direction of the stage, making him stumble. Nick nervously stood on the stage and selected a song from the list, waiting as a guitar strummed quickly, growing in volume. The first verse made him blush deeply, then he launched into the chorus with a renewed energy, his voice losing almost, but not quite, all of it's Texan accent. He ran one hand through his hair as he sang.

_My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me, Come on and kill me, so I die happy.  
My heart is yours to fill or burst, To break or bury, or wear as jewelry, whatever you prefer._

He was stealing glances at a girl sitting by his empty chair as he sang this, and when he began the bridge she looked up and locked eyes with him, only for a second. He could see, even in the bright stage lights, that she had the shadow of an embarassed smile on her face.

_Hands down, this is the best day I can ever remember,  
I'll always remember the sound of the stereo, the dim of the lights and the smell of your hair that you twirled round your finger and the time on the clock, when we realized it was so late and this walk that we shared together,  
the streets were wet and the gate was locked so I jumped it and I let you in,  
and you stood at the door with your hands on my waist,  
and you kissed me like you meant it._

Nick finished the song to thunderous applause from his table, recieving a high-five as Greg walked onto the stage.

Greg was more bold than Nick had been, and he said, "I'm dedicating this song to a girl I know." His mind was on Sara, but his eyes were focused on his feet.

_Whenever I'm alone with you,  
you make me feel like I am home again. Whenever I'm alone with you,  
you make me feel like I am whole again._

The keyboard in the backround started and Greg looked up at the ceiling, trying hard to keep from shaking.

_However far away, I will always love you. However long I stay, I will always love you.  
Whatever words I say, I will always love you. I will always love you._

Greg jumped down from the front of the stage, refusing to take the stairs like a normal person, and went back to his seat, watching Nick jealously as he slid his arm behind Sara on the back of her chair. Everyone looked at Sara, expecting her to go and sing something profound. She stood up, the black cocktail dress swirling around her knees. After the first verse she looked a little sad.

_I can't be held responsible, 'cause she was touching her face.  
I won't be held responsible, she fell in love in the first place. For the life of me, I cannot remember what made us think that we were wise, and we never compromise. For the life of me, I cannot believe we'd ever die for these sins, we were merely freshmen._

Sara dropped to her knees, holding the mic to her lips and waiting for the second verse to begin. She commanded herself not to cry, but she knew it was innevitable. Sara silently prayed that she could keep the tears away until she found a bathroom somewhere.

_My best friend took a week's worth of vacation to forget her,  
His girl took a weeks worth of valium and slept.  
Now he's guilt-stricken, sobbing with his head on the floor,  
Thinks about her now and how he never really wept._

Sara finished the song with tears running down her cheeks, making rivers that dripped off her chin. She could see Catherine and Mia, who she'd just met, crying and standing up. Nick and Greg fought to be the first to comfort her, but Mia was already pulling her up from the floor and Catherine was giving her a hug. All three girls were already planning to invite everyone to Catherine's house to watch movies all night, and as the group walked out with their new addition, Gil awkwardly hugged Catherine, who still had the occasional tear sliding down her cheek. XoXoXoXoXoX

A/N: Oh my god this is making me cry writing this, I hope you like it as much as I do, sorry almost all of it is lyrics. I love the song, Freshmen, and I thought I had to have it in here because I named the story after it. Remember, reviewreviewreview!  
Maddy


	11. Breakfast at IHOP

A/N: Now, I'm finally going to answer some reviews! I haven't had much free time, I have a bunch of French homework and I'm supposed to read a bunch of The Catcher in the Rye by Monday, but I can still find some time in my busy schedule to write back to you lovely people who make my days brighter.  
**Silver Hair Fox: **You seriously almost cried at school? I'm sorry! I was in tears by the time I finished writing it, I love the song Sara sings! That's why I named this fiction after it.  
**Georgeous Nick Stokes:** Much as I'd love to tell you who ends up with Sara, I still don't know, myself. Whoever it is, they get together in June, and it's only November. There's some good Cathy/Gil stuff in January, though.  
**XxbluemoonxX: **I totally understand that sometimes you can't review, just the fact that you're still reading my story is enough to keep me going. Thanks for not hating my writing!  
**Blood Of Eden: ** Catherine and Gil haven't gotten together yet, silly! Catherine is in love with Gil and Gil is just starting to realize his feelings, but he's still being all in denial about it (like in the show!).  
P.S. I love the episode, Forever. If anyone can think of a way for me to use something from it, email, not review, to LadyStardust16 at gmail dot com. With the at being an sign and stuff, of course.

XoXoXoXoX

"Let's watch Edward Scissorhands!" Greg yelled dramatically, holding a pair of scissors in one hand and the movie in the other. The gang, with Mia, had all walked over to Catherine's house and were struggling with the problem of what movie to watch. The three girls were still a bit tearful, and Greg had taken it upon himself to cheer them up.  
"I've never seen it, my mom just bought it a few weeks ago," Catherine said, eying the movie skeptically. Everyone else, including Greg, admitted that they had never seen the movie.  
"It looks scary," Greg said cheerfully. "We're watching it." Before anyone could protest, Greg had put in the movie and in no time the credits were rolling, and the movie was starting. Greg turned out the overhead light and sat down next to the armchair Sara was relaxing in, deciding to put his hand next to hers in case she got too scared.  
By the time the movie was over, all six boys were deeply regretting their choice of what to watch. Mia, Catherine, and Sara had all taken over the couch and were crying uncontrollably as they watched the old woman on the screen finishing the story to her granddaughter.The boys were looking uncomfortably at their feet, even Greg, who always had a grin on his face, had wilted a little.  
Without waiting for the credits to start, he jumped up and took out the movie. He popped a different disc into the DVD player, pushing play on the remote and sitting down quickly next to Sara, who had gone back to her armchair. Nick was on her other side, and Mia, who was sitting on the loveseat across the room, smiled at how the two boys looked like faithful pets.  
She had seen them all at school, because it was hard not to notice them, but she never noticed quite how protective Greg and Nick were over Sara. Mia thought, as the movie started, about how no one had recognized her from school. She was a little dissappointed, but she could understand quite well. She had no classes with them, no friends to help her stand out, and no social standing whatsoever. After thinking for a while and pretending to pay attention to the movie, Mia dropped off to a peaceful sleep, unaware that all of her female companions had also given over to the strong urge to close their eyelids and let themselves be taken away.

XoXoXoXoX

Archie had noticed all the girls were asleep, so he nudged Gil and jerked his head in the direction of the door. The boys reluctantly got up from their various places, sad to leave the movie they were watching. It was something loud and entertaining, about racing and girls. Only Greg knew that they were actually watching Grease.  
With Jim in the lead, the boys tip-toed out of the room and into the guest bedroom. They fought over the king-size bed for a few minutes, Nick finally coming managing to push everyone else off. He threw them each a pillow, as he had more than enough, and he was in a generous mood after his spectacular performance during karaoke night.  
The boys stripped out of their pants, each choosing the best bit of floor they could find, and sank into a deep slumber.

XoXoXoXoX

"Come on, let's see if they're awake yet." This comment was muttered by Mia, who was getting quite bold and had definitely established her place in the group. Catherine and Sara nodded, and the three of them crept down the hallway, quietly pushing open the guest bedroom door, which was already ajar.  
Cathy was immediately glad she had thought to bring her camera when she saw her six male friends spread comfortably around the room. She blushed a little as she noticed that they were all in their boxers, but raised the camera to her eyes anyway. She nearly laughed out loud as she snapped a picture of Greg in his Hello Kitty boxers, hugging his pillow and drooling unattractively. After a few more pictures, Sara led the girls out of the room, her cheeks pink with embarrassment at seeing Nick and Greg without pants on.  
She giggled a little once they were out of earshot, remembering that Nick's boxers were decorated with flames, and that Greg's were black with pink Hello Kitty, but she was immediately shushed by Cathy and Mia. After hiding the camera in the furthest corner of Catherine's closet, the three girls ran back to the room to wake the boys up.  
"Good morning!" Sara yelled enthusiastically, jumping on the bed and waking Nick from a peaceful dream in which she, coincidentally, was also in his bed. He blinked his eyes, showing that he was alive, and Sara proceeded to wake Greg while Mia and Catherine woke Jim, Gil, Archie and Warrick.

XoXoXoXoX

Walking down the street, Catherine was leading the way to an IHOP, saying she could buy them all breakfast on Sam Braun's tab. The rest of the group followed her like baby ducklings after their mother, and they could soon see a large white and blue sign indicating that their destination was near. Greg was walking next to Sara, and his fingers occasionally brushed her hand. He deliberately moved closer, letting his palm rest against hers. Sara didn't notice, but Nick, who was walking behind them, gave Greg a look filled with venom, and Greg moved his hand away, walking quickly and leaving Sara behind him.  
When Gil opened the door, a rush of warm air washed over the wind-chilled teenagers, and they all hurried gratefully into the pancake house. Catherine had a few words with one of the waitresses, and she joined them at the largest table in the tackily decorated resteraunt. Mia was puzzling over how Catherine could possibly know Sam Braun, when she was told outright and spared the trouble of asking. The waitress was back in no time with an enormous tray of plates, and the conversation that was being held ceased as everyone wolfed down their pancakes.  
When they were done, Greg asked a question. "What are you guys doing for Thanksgiving? My family's going to Norway to visit Papa Olaf, and they said I don't have to go. So we could all have Thanksgiving at my house if you want. You could all sleep over."  
Everyone agreed that it was a good idea, and they walked away from the International House Of Pancakes feeling like there was still something to look forward to, even if it was just a Thanksgiving celebration at a hyperactive freshman's house.

XoXoXoXoX

I thought this was a nice kind of pick-me-up after last chapter, which was SO SAD! As always, reviews are greatly appriciated.  
Peace, love, empathy,  
Maddy


	12. Thanksgiving

A/N: I'm trying to make time go a little bit faster, so about two weeks have passed since Catherine's birthday. I'll answer some reviews, then you can read the story.

**Silver Hair Fox:** You seriously check at lunch to see if I've updated? That's so sweet! I hope the guy you like didn't see you crying, and if you want to check out the song, it's called Freshmen by The Verve Pipe. I can't hear it without bursting into tears. My friend has these really cool flame boxers, so I decided they'd be perfect for Nicky.

**Gorgeous Nick Stokes: **It seems like a lot of people are hoping Nicky will win Sara over, but who knows? I might decide to be completely evil and give her to Ecklie or something. Mischievious grin

**ObessedTWFan:** Gil took that lady on a date a long time ago (the lady who reconstructs faces with the skulls) but I don't think he kissed her...She's married now tear so I guess there's no hope for a second date. I'm trying to keep it so no one get's together until the end of the school year, but it's hard not to just let them all do what they want!

**JoonSanders: **I have some plans for those pix of the boys in their boxers, you'll just have to read and find out what!

XoXoXoXoX

Warrick struggled up the driveway with a large ceramic dish in his hands. Grams had made a turkey for him to take over to the Thanksgiving party at Greg's, and it smelled delicious. He pushed the doorknob with his elbow, as he had no free hands, and eight pairs of hands grabbed him and pulled him inside. "You're finally here!" Mia squeeled gleefully, giving him a one-armed hug. "We've been waiting for hours.""Mia, you've only been here for..." Catherine checked her watch, "eight minutes. And no one came much earlier than you."  
Mia laughed, her infectious good spirits causing the entire group to burst into racous peals of laughter. Then, red-faced and wiping tears from his eyes, Greg said, "Let's get out of the hall and go eat."Everyone agreed, and Greg led the way out of the hall and through one of the doors to a large kitchen, spotlessly clean, with a table and ten chairs in an adjoining dining room. The long counter was piled with food that everyone had brought, and a stack of plates and silverware was sitting next to it. Everyone loaded their plates with turkey and mashed potatoes, along with everything else that came to hand. Everyone even took a bit of the weird pot of stewed vegetables that Catherine had made herself. Contrary to their assumptions, she was an excellent cook and the entire group went back for seconds. When each person had found their place-card at the table, (Greg had set them out earlier, thinking it would be a good excuse to sit next to Sara) Mia proposed a toast. She tapped the blunt edge of her knife on the side of her glass, standing up and clearing her throat.  
"Hey guys," she said nervously, "I just want to say thanks to all of you, you've been so nice to me, and you didn't even know me when we met at that coffee shop, but you let me join your group anyway. You guys are totally fab."  
The group cheered and clumsily knocked their glasses together in the middle of the table, taking long drinks of bubbly before digging in to the fantastic food set before them. No one wanted any more wine after they had finished their first glasses, everyone was feeling much more content with the food than the drink that made them want to throw up with every passing sip. Indeed, Greg was looking a little bit green after half his glass was empty, and by the time he'd finished it, his usually bottomless appetite seemed to have been lost.Feeling quite cheery despite the tipsiness they were all experiencing for the first time, the gang headed upstairs to decide who was sleeping where. Greg said the girls could have his sister's room, and the boys would take his own room.  
Mia, Catherine and Sara were aghast at the enormousity of the room they would be sleeping in, each of them choosing a place to sleep on one of the bunks on the bunkbed, or plush red couch. The room was neat and chic, furnished with everything a teenage girl could possibly want.  
The boys, on the other hand, had embarked once again in a fight to claim the bed, this time in Greg's room. The floor was littered with books, broken chess pieces, crumpled pieces of paper, and every other kind of rubbish you could think of. Finally, they decided to sleep in another of his sisters' rooms. As the procession of boys, headed by Greg, passed by the desk and out the door, Nick noticed a piece of paper next to a blue ballpoint pen with the words, "Dear Sara" at the top.He snagged it quickly, stuffing it into his pocket to read later.  
The girls said goodnight to the boys in the hallway that connected the bedrooms, and the group was a tangle of arms as everyone tried to hug everyone else simultaniously. After sorting everything out, Sara reached Greg last to say goodnight. He pulled her close to him and, checking to make sure Nick was no where in sight, gave her a kiss on the forhead. The feeling of her skin on his lips was electrifying to both of them, and they quickly pulled away, each going to his or her respective room.  
Back in Greg's little sister's room, decorated in a lurid shade of pink, Nick pulled the letter out of his pocket and read it by the half-light of the moon coming through the window.

_Dear Sara,  
I don't know what to say. I've dreamed about the time when I could give you this letter for so long, and now that I'm writing it, I can't think of how to express what I feel every time I see you. It just seems like every time I see you I get butterflies in my stomach, and nothing I say comes out the way I want it to, when all I want to do is to shout out to the world how much you mean to me. I think, in some roundabout way, I've fallen in love with you. And I don't know what to do about it. I want you to be my lucky penny, my shining star. I want to be someone you can turn to when life gets to be too much. So I can only hope that maybe you feel the same, just a little bit, at least. So I can only hope you will except  
All my love, forever and a day,  
Greg_

Nick finished the letter, fuming. He got up and made his way out into the hall and down to the bathroom, locking himself in. He began to slowly, deliberately, tear the letter into hundreds of pieces. They littered the air like confetti, raining down on the floor, and he was soon standing in a pile of his best friend's deepest thoughts, destroyed.  
Nick swept the pieces into one hand and threw them into the wastebasket. He turned the tap on splashed cold water on his face, letting it drip into his eyes and down his nose, not caring that it had begun to mix with his own tears. He turned off the water and sat down on the cold linoleum, tears flowing freely from his eyes.  
He damned his friend for being so poetic, for having the courage to try to tell Sara his feelings, when he, himself, had been overtaken by cowardice. Nick sat there until the sky began to lighten, and the glowing electric screen of his watch told him that it was 7am. He rubbed his temples, trying to rid himself of the headache that was sure to come along with a hangover. Pressing his face into a fluffy blue towel, he dried the tears from his eyes, and unlocked the door to go back into the room where his best friend was just beginning to stir.

XoXoXoXoX

I hope that wasn't very depressing, I wanted a balance of happy and unhappy, because it seems like every chapter is either really lighthearted and nice, or it's this terrible whirlwind of sadness and pain. So tell me what you think, because if you don't say anything, I can't fix it.  
Giant hugs and sloppy kisses,  
Maddy


	13. Christmas Shopping

A/N: Hey all! I'm not going to answer reviews this time, but I will next time. I just woke up and I'm too tired to be at all logical. Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to Karen, my new editor. If it wasn't for her, you'd be reading a chapter full of gramatical mildew and as many spelling errors as stars in the sky. I probably spelled words in the Author's Note wrong! Oh well!

XoXoXoXoX

Gil was running 'round the mall, two shopping bags, filled to bursting, clutched in his hands. Christmas was drawing nearer; it was already December fourteenth, and he had almost all of his gift-buying taken care of. He had yet to find the perfect present for Catherine. She already had all of the electronics he'd looked at, all of them gifts from Sam Braun. Not even the most elegant clothes seemed to do her beauty justice.

Something caught his eye in a nearby shop, and he hurried over to examine it. The store was full of racks upon racks of the most gorgeous clothing suited for a beautiful young debutante such as Catherine. Gripping his find in one hand and the handles of his bags in the other, Gil made his way to the counter to pay for the final gift on his list.

XoXoXoXoX

Sara was wandering up and down a street lined with indie shops, each window leaving a square of light on the sidewalk in front of it. The sun had all but set, and Sara wasn't nearly done with her shopping. She walked through the open door of a promising store and began to snoop around.

"Perfect for Greg," Sara said under her breath, holding up an item from the shelves of knick-knacks. She looked at the price tag, though, and quickly set it back on the shelf, hurrying out of the store.

Feeling dejected, she went back to pacing around the various stores. She counted the money she had left, a diminished wad of crumpled bills that had, earlier that morning, been a crisp stack of sixty-five dollars. She remembered earning every cent, mowing lawns and walking vicious dogs, finally making enough money to give her friends the gifts they deserved.

"But I can't find anything for them," Sara reminded herself. "Not for Nick and Greg, at least."

She went into a small store she had noticed earlier, glancing at the objects that were prominantly displayed in the window. None of them fit Nick, or Greg, and she was about to walk out of the store when a cheery sales lady stopped her. Sara was about to roll her eyes when the woman said something that intrigued her.

"I'm the best person here to help you pick out a gift," the woman said, the bounce in her voice grating on Sara's eardrums. Something about this chipper young woman made Sara want her help.

"I've got these two friends," she said, "and I can't find anything to get them for Christmas. One of them's really hyper, he skateboards, and he's obsessed with coffee. The other is sort of mellow, he's on the mathletes team and he's really protective of his friends. Any ideas?"

The woman laughed, motioning Sara further into the store, and handed her two items. "For your skater friend," she said, motioning towards the one in Sara's left hand, "and for the mathlete." She pointed at the object in Sara's right hand, then stepped behind the counter to ring them up. Sara was delighted, and she walked home smiling to herself and thinking of the looks on her friends' faces when she gave them their presents.

XoXoXoXoX

Greg was looking in the skate shop where he worked. They gave him a great employee discount, and he had decided to get every one of his friends the same thing. He walked to the counter with the purchases, then stepped behind the counter to ring himself up. Looking hurridly to the left and right, he made sure no one was watching as he took an extra ten percent off the price. Sticking the money into the register, Greg set down the eight boxes on the floor and hummed absentmindedly, imagining what Sara would say when she saw him on Christmas Day.

XoXoXoXoX

Archie was frustrated; he was stuck on the gift for Mia. He'd been through the mall, paced countless streets, and, he remembered with a shudder, even stopped to look in the window of Victoria's Secret.

He stopped next to an open door, the sandwichboard sign outside telling him the store was called Ipnosi. He walked in past the fountain displayed prominantly in the middle of the small shop, rifling through the racks of clothing as he went.

He quickly found himself at the back of the shop, sitting on a chair next to the floor-to-ceiling doors of the changing rooms. He'd gone through almost every shelf, rack, and bin, and he was beginning to think that this store was as fruitless as the ones that had preceeded it. Turning to the last place in the store he could look, a long bar full of clothes-hangers that stuck out from the wall, he eyed a dress nervously. It was black and seemed to be the perfect fit for Mia. "And it's on clearance!" Archie's mind shouted gleefully.

He hurried home with his bags of shopping, wrapping them up the moment he was safely in his room, and storing them away in the back of his closet, under a pile of shirts that had fallen off their hangers.

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine was satisfied with all her purchases. It had only taken her an hour and a half to find everything, and now her gifts were spread neatly on her bed. She had a pile of wrapping paper next to them, on her pillow, and she was deciding which paper would go to which person.

"Pink for Sara," she thought methodically, wrapping her friend's present with pale pink paper and tying it off neatly with a bow. "Blue for Jim."

She went on like this, covering each present in paper and securing it with a matching ribbon. She hummed a tune from a movie she'd gone to see the previous Saturday, and every other Saturday, for that matter. It was a bit of a ritual, one she'd decided to share with her friends soon enough. She sang softly, mumbling a little as she sang. "Touch-a-touch-a-touch-a touch me! I want to be dirty!" She began to dance as she wrapped, each gift being scribbled with the name of it's recipient before being tossed on the bed. Finishing up with "Green for Gil," she smiled down at the gift she'd picked out for him. She scooped it up, turning the box over in her hands, giving it a quick good luck kiss before setting it down on its square of paper and wrapping it neatly, writing his name across the top with black sharpie, singing all the time.

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: Just a quick note. The song Catherine sings is very important, it will come into play in late February, I think. I hope you have all gone to the occult celebration of this movie, or at least seen the film at home, because if you haven't, then the chapter where they go to see it won't make much sense. Or maybe it will. I don't know.

Much love to all my faithful readers/reviewers!

Maddy


	14. Merry Christmas?

A/N: I'd like to announce that I've FINALLY broken 50 reviews! And in celebration, I'm going to answer some! Also, this chapter is a little shorter than my usual ones, but things start to heat up between...well...EVERYONE!

**wishnik**: Woah! You actually read my story! Thanks a billion! And I can't promise Sandle, but who knows? It could happen. Just have to keep reading to find out...hehehe...

**charmed1818:** I'm glad you like it, I update once a day (or whenever my editor sends back my chapters) so you better check a lot!

**Daisyangel: **To tell you the truth, at the beginning of last chapter I was all geared up to have them get presents, and while writing this one, I realized I wasn't sure what to get them...But I think I did okay.

**JoonSanders: **I'm basing the Rocky thing off one of my own experiences with my dear friend. He took me to see it at a theatre, and it was way awsome. It was in February, just like this one's gonna be! Except I don't plan on making Catherine wear what my friend wore...I don't think a bathrobe and short-shorts would look very charming.

**xxPunkPrincessoo: **Well, if you tell me who you want to be with Sara, I'll put a little tallymark on my little sheet with my chart telling me who wants her with Greg and who wants her with Nick...Savvy?

**Silver Hair Fox: **You told people about my story! Woot! You know, you are my heart and soul now...or something. Anyway, you only need to check if it's updated once daily, because that's when I update... 3

**mudhousejunkie224: **Once again, I myself don't know if this is Sandle or Snickers. I couldn't tell you if I wanted to!

**Gorgeous Nick Stokes:** I feel terrible about doing these awful things to Nicky...What's worse, is I have even more in store! > 

**XxbluemoonxX:** I will keep writing as long as there's blood in my veins and reviews to keep me happy!

XoXoXoXoX

"Welcome to my humble abode," Nick said dramatically, his words accompanied by a sweeping bow. Sara giggled, then stepped over the threshold of Nick's house. She was the last one to arrive, and the rest of the gang had put their brightly wrapped gifts under a three-foot tall, obviously fake, Christmas tree.

Greg smiled cheerfully at her as she set down her presents, and Catherine patted a spot on the couch next to her. Sara sat down, and they lapsed into a comfortable silence.

Sara was gazing around at the bright faces of her eight best friends, thinking of earlier that morning, when she had spent her first Christmas with the Petersons. She'd been put in their care about a week before the start of school, and they were just beginning to feel like her family. Now it was growing late, and the sun that had come up that morning was sinking in the sky. Sara snapped out of her thoughts and turned to Catherine.

"Are we just going to sit around, or is someone gonna give me some presents?"

Everyone laughed, and Greg, who was wearing an overly large Santa hat, began sliding boxes across the floor to their addressees. Sara was soon overloaded with Christmas loot. She'd gotten, among other things, a bath basket from Catherine, a shockingly pink bra from Mia, and a beautifully illustrated book, "Griffin and Sabine; an Extrodinary Correspondance," from Nick.

It turned out that everyone had gotten some kind of undergarment from Mia, including a purple bra with pink hearts for Catherine, and a pair of boxers with the logo of a cheap vinyard for Greg. She had clearly not forgotten the Thanksgiving wine.

Everyone had gotten the same thing from Greg, as well: skateboards, each with a different color and design on the bottom; Sara's was sky blue and had a pattern of clouds. Greg also explained that he'd teach everyone to ride as well as he did; he was tired of waiting around for the group to catch up to him when he rode ahead.

Catherine opened her gift from Gil last, slowly, so she wouldn't tear the paper. A plain white box was inside, and she hastily opened the lid to find a gorgeous top hat, black silk with a satin ribbon around the brim. When she put it on, everyone agreed that she looked absolutely "fab", as Mia put it. Catherine set it down carefully, putting it right next to a green umbrella that looked like a frog when it was unfolded, which was her gift from Sara.

Greg and Nick opened their presents from Sara at the same time. Greg finished first, shooting a look of triumph at Nick, and held up a t-shirt that was roughly the same color as Sara's new bra. Printed across the front, in black letters, was the phrase, "Tough guys wear pink."

Nick unwrapped his present, an Edward Gorey poster of the Gashley Crum Tinies, and thanked Sara sincerely. "How does she know me so well?" he thought to himself, sneaking a glance at the girl who, though she didn't know it, was the object of so many boys' affections.

Mia, also a temptress who held two boys' hearts, opened Archie's present to her. Into her hands fell the most fabulous dress she had ever seen. She looked at him, her eyes full of joy, only to find him staring at his feet. She reached for her present from Warrick, and was even more shocked. A rose in a bell jar seemed like a gift out of a fairy tale. Upon closer inspection, Mia noticed that each perfect petal on the rose was covered in tiny ice crystals. Warrick, by way of explanation, told her he had dipped the rose in liquid nitrogen, completely freezing it inside the vacuum-sealed jar.

She set down the rose, hurried over to him, and pulled him into a tight embrace, then gave him a shocking gift of her own. She looked deep into his eyes, closing the space between them in moments. When he kissed her back, she felt fireworks go off in her head and flames of passion dance behind her eyes, beckoning him closer.

When they broke apart, an awkward silence had descended over the group. Archie was looking morosely at his feet, as if the plain black tennis shoes that covered them were the only thing worth his gaze. If Mia had bothered to look into his face, she would have seen the heartbreak and pain that lay behind his features, the sorrow of knowing that he had no chance.

When the gang departed, one by one, Gil leaving first, gazing happily down at the Pink Floyd cd Catherine had bought him. Greg left last, shortly after Sara. The atmosphere in the room that he and Nick had shared was so tense and heavy that was almost difficult to move.

Nick took his gifts upstairs, hanging Sara's poster in a place of honor above his bed. He looked brokenly down at the skateboard, sitting innocently on the floor next to the closet. He reflected briefly on his friendship with Greg, analyzing the details in his mind, coming to the conclusion that he would have to be friendly - but only for Sara's sake. Little did he know that in a car driving away from his house, Greg Sanders was thinking the exact same thing.


	15. Happy New Year

A/N: Now, time to answer some reviews! Even though I only got three which isn't nearly enough to keep me happy nudge nudge. Come on! At least let me know what you think, that little purpleish button needs some love!

**JoonSanders: **I can't really imagine Brass or Grissom on a skateboard, either. I just felt like they should have some kind of thing in common, even if it is just a way of transportation.

**wildcherry32: **There's an impending fight coming on between Nicky and Greggo...I'm sorry. I'll try to keep it to a bare minimum, just for you. But I've spent all this time working up the tension...

**Silver Hair Fox: **Pamela knows about my story? The Pamela from Three CSIs Sitting in a Row? Sweet! I'm still waiting for updates on that, girlie! And I try to update early in the morning, just so that when you go to school and check at lunch to see if I've updated, I have! Your nice long reviews keep me going!

XoXoXoXoX

New years day, Greg and Sara were at the arcade. Greg had noticed that admission was half off on January first, and a lightbulb had gone off in his head about how to get a one-up on Nick. He was already marking the mental scoreboard when he had knocked on her door that morning, and he was even more delighted to find her, still in her pajamas, and looking tousled but pretty. Still, he couldn't help but notice how her ribs stuck out and how there was practically no muscle on her upper arms.

After an awkward trip to the arcade involving Sara's first ride on a skateboard, Greg had insisted on paying admission for both of them and getting a ton of nickels for them to share. Currently, they were playing the old standby, Dance Dance Revolution. Sara was desparately trying to reach Greg's level of utmost concentration, with little success. He had reached a state of nirvana, letting the dance pad, the screen, and his feet become one. Wiping the sweat from her brow, Sara sighed as she looked at her score. Her C- looked pathetic next to Greg's perfect A.

After jumping from one game to the next, racing motorcycles, playing Streetfighter and Bust-a-move, both teenagers were thoroughly wiped out. When Greg suggested they call it a day, Sara gladly accepted, and they began a slow journey, walking, this time, back to her house.

"You had fun, right?" Greg asked, peering over at her. She was walking the way someone would walk after running the New York marathon, not as if she'd just spent the day at the arcade. Her expression seemed to suggest that the skateboard under her arm was a thousand-pound weight, making it nearly impossible for her to move.

Sara grunted her ascent, glancing over at her companion. She could see that his bright pink "tough guy" t-shirt was sticking to his sweaty back, and his cheeks were flushed. "At least he can walk upright," she thought jokingly, slouching over a little more and taking in her cave-man-esque appearance. After a few more exchanges of comments, the pair decided to save their energy for making it the rest of the way home.

When they reached her house, Sara gave Greg a hug, thanked him for taking her out and making her do something worthwhile on her first day of the new year, and went inside, promptly falling asleep on the couch.

Greg skated the rest of the way home, his spirits considerable lighter as he marked the mental scoreboard up one more point

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine was lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her stereo was blasting the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack, and she was tapping her fingers on her bedside table, pondering life and all it's strange qualities.

Following the path that all her trains of thought had lately, her mind focused on Gil. The tophat he'd given her was safely in it's box in her closet, waiting for an occasion special enough that she could wear it. For now, she just admired it, wondering what he'd intended her to use it for. Imagining him, imagining her wearing it.

She was still in her pajamas, if you could call them that. She was wearing a pair of boys boxers, along with a sports bra. She stopped tapping her fingers, instead reaching down to a pile of half-dirty clothes that lay next to her bed, extracting a Rolling Stones t-shirt, and pulling it over her head.

Once this was done, her fingers resumed their frantic tapping along with the music coming from her cd player. Her cd was almost over and, growing restless, Catherine jabbed the stop button with one finger, using her other hand to lever herself off the bed. Her bare feet hit the thin carpet, then her knees as she got down on all fours and reached under her bed. She took out the book she was currently reading, the play, actually. "West Side Story," proving to be a good, albeit cheesy, read.

XoXoXoXoX

Mia and Warrick were watching the sunset from the top of a hill in a park near Warrick's house. Or at least, that's what their original intention was. They were now laying in the grass, kissing passionately, and although they may not be watching the sunset, they were getting an equally beautiful array of colors from the natural high they gave eachother.

Warrick broke the kiss and sat up, Mia's hand held loosely in his own. She was propped up on one elbow, watching a ladybug as it began the strenuous journey up and over a blade of grass. Warrick leaned down, giving her a soft kiss on the mouth, then told her with a voice full of regret, "I have to get home. Grams doesn't let me hang out after dark.

Mia nodded understandingly, her eyes still fixed on the ladybug as he got up and walked away. She sat there until the sun was down and the moon was up, thinking. Both ladybug and boy were long gone, and she couldn't get either out of her head.

XoXoXoXoX

Jim was laying facedown on his bed, some headphones snapped carelessly over his ears, his face buried in the pillow. He couldn't sleep, much to his annoyance, and he was listening to Beethoven's ninth, trying to get some peace. It was the end of the beginning of the new year, that is, it was eleven o' clock at night on January first.

He was thinking about his friends, if that's what they were, wondering where he fit in with all the drama. He knew what was going on, he had seen the heartbreak in Archie's eyes when Mia had kissed Warrick, he'd heard the storie's of Catherine and Gil's torrid romance yet-to-come, and he could tell that Greg and Nick were fighting over an oblivious Sara.

"What about me? What's my sob story?" he thought sullenly. Turning to lay on his side, he turned the volume knob on his cd player, blocking out all the outside sounds with a crescendo of music. He closed his eyes and turned, once again, to bury his face in the pillow and try to forget the rest of the world.

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: Awww, poor Brass! Even _I've_ been forgetting that he and Archie are in the story, and I'm the author! Anyway, trying to get some nice forshadowing in for this chapter, at least with Brass's bit and the Warrick/Mia stuff. Don't know what I was thinking about the ladybug, there was one on my windowsil at the time. Sorry for the freaky stuff about bugs! That's Gil's job, not mine. As always, reviews make my day! Honey preffered over vinegar, but I'll take either!  
Hugses and kisses,  
Maddy


	16. Good News

A/N: Here we go, another chapter! It's still like 7:00am and I am tired, so if this author's note is sorta weird...sorry. Anyways, I'm gonna reply to some reviews...Namely, the 5 wonderous people that wrote me some kind reviews for last chapter. I love you guys!

**charmed1818:** I'm liking the Greg and Nick tension, too...but I don't really know where I'm going with it...oops. I'll figure it out.

**Silver Hair Fox: **Another lovely review! I'll add your email thing to my YIM list, but when I tried to email you before it wouldn't let me. Just in case, mine is mjallen01. I'm trying to put some more Archie and Brass stuff, just because I felt so bad about leaving them on the sidelines for so long. Can't wait til you update TCSISIAR, I'm hooked!

**Daisyangel:** I'm adding your vote for Sandle as we speak...or...as I type, anyway. I update daily!

**wildcherry32: **I'm sort of debating whether or not I should keep Mia and Warrick together. Everyone needs to tell me what they think.

**JoonSanders:** I think your feedback is plenty intellegent! You've been with me since the beginning! Actually, leaving Brass out for so long was accidental. I just felt like I needed to have some reason, because now I'm trying to put him in more. Maybe I should find him a girlfriend...Nah, that'd be too mean to the girl.

XoXoXoXoX

On January fifteenth, the gang minus Archie and Mia, who were in different classes, was sitting in homeroom, absentmindedly playing a game of poker while Mrs. Wells sketched furiously in a notebook she was holding. She was drawing their smiling faces, Warrick collecting bets from his colleagues, Catherine's terrible game face and the hint that in her hand was a royal flush. Sara, flanked on either side by Nick and Greg, chatting and laughing as they tossed a few crumpled bills at Warrick. She had been noticing a lot, lately, that these seven kids, these oddballs that always seemed to end up in her homeroom, were getting to be not-so-odd after all. They had transformed after they had met eachother.

Adding a final touch of shading to Sara's hair, she set down the sketchbook and stood up, getting everyone's attention with the next few words. "To all of our old students, this is old news. To all of our newcomers, listen closely. On Friday, January 21st, there's going to be a Winter Formal dance. As I hope all of you know, it's the fifteenth today, so that's..." She was counting on her fingers, "six days."

As she sat back down and took up her pencil to perfect her drawing, an excited buzz erupted all over the room. Even Sara and Catherine had dropped their cards and were talking to one another across the table, contemplating what they should wear. It was only when the bell sounded, telling everyone to go to second period, that the girls stopped talking and the boys stopped looking uncomfortable at the thought of dancing. The group split up at the door, Catherine and Gil heading in one direction, Jim in another, and so on.

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine, Mia, and Sara were all sitting comfortably in Mia's attic room discussing the dance. Catherine asked the most obvious question. "You're going with Warrick, right?"

Mia blushed and nodded, looking at her feet with an enormous grin plastered across her face. Catherine and Sara laughed at the lovesick look, causing her to mar her angel face with a scowl. "You taking Nick or Greg, Sara?" Mia asked, smoothly diverting the attention from herself. It was Sara's turn to blush, now. She looked almost puzzled as she answered.

"Neither, I think. They're just my friends, I'm sure it would be really weird if I went to the dance with one of them. I'm not attracted to either of them, and even if I was, I know they would never be attracted to a plain girl like me."

Catherine and Mia exchanged glances, trying to hold in their laughter. After a few deep breaths, both of them were fine and had managed not to let out a single giggle. Fortunately, Sara had begun to stare off into space, and was oblivious that anything had passed between her two friends. She was trying to imagine who she'd rather dance with. "Nick or Greg?" she thought, but was unable to decide.

Mia waved her hand in front of Sara's face, which was wearing a very unattractive expression of open-mouthed, wide-eyed blankness. Sara was reeled back from her thoughts, which had now turned to deciding which of her male friends she would enjoy kissing, and she sighed with relief. In answer to Catherine's quizzical look, she said bluntly, "I get carried off in the strangest thoughts sometimes."

They passed through the rest of the afternoon and into the evening discussing the dance, namely who they'd like to go with. Catherine had her answer squeezed out of her, and she squeaked out a barely comprehensible "Gil Grissom" before burying her face in her hands and bursting into a mad fit of laughter. Sara was unable to choose anybody, and she watched as Mia and Catherine wrote up a list of Nick's and Greg's pros and cons for her.

"Greg's hair is a definite plus," Mia said, adding it to one column.

"But he's so childish," Catherine said, adding to the other. "Nick's got a great body," she added, scribbling it on the "Nick" half of the paper.

"He's awfully sensitive sometimes, though," Mia said, writing it down under the cons side. "Not in a good way."

Sara blinked at the list her friends shoved under her nose when her Mrs. Peterson came to pick her up from Mia's house. "Take it," Catherine insisted. "Maybe it'll help you decide who to take!"

XoXoXoXoX

On an excursion to the mall, Gil and Jim were at a loss for words. Who knew there were so many different kinds of dress shirts? The rest of the boys were scattered around the store, trying various styles and colors of shirts.

Greg had immediately found one, a horrid paisley long-sleeved shirt with a 1980s-esque collar. Warrick had tried, and failed, to talk him out of it, and it was now safely resting in the bottom of his shopping bag. He was currently sitting on the floor behind Archie, trying to convince him into buying a purple and green checkered shirt.

When Archie had it in his hands and was heading over to the counter, Warrick came sprinting over, snatched it out of his hands, and told him it was the most hideous thing he'd ever seen, shooting a venemous look at Greg, who grinned. In the end, Archie settled for a plain, dark-green shirt, and he joined Greg in a game of "let's see who can find the ugliest shirt in the store!" Archie won with a shirt that, coincidentally, was exactly the same as Greg's, who pouted for the rest of the day.

XoXoXoXoX

On the other side of the store, the three girls were having a good time. They had wandered into a store with a bunch of fancy dresses, not too elegant, but nice enough to wear to a "formal" dance.

Sara walked out of the dressing room in a stunning dress. It had a dark red satin body that swept the floor around Sara's feet, the wide skirt trailing behind her, making it seem as if she was a character from a fairy tale, one who'd gotten lost in the evening gown department of the mall. The sleeves were made of a lighter red satin, getting progressively wider as they reached her hands. She looked like the most beautiful of spirits, and she said happily that she had the perfect pair of shoes to match.

Catherine was wearing something quite different, though just as gorgeous in it's own way. She had donned a midnight blue strapless dress that came down to the ground, hiding her feet from view. Mia and Sara looked on as their tough-talking tomboy friend was transformed into an elegant, well-mannered lady. "Just by a change of clothes," Sara thought, awestruck.

Mia, on the other hand, was not so lucky. Every dress she tried on was too girly, not girly enough, made her look fat, or some other obvious flaw. Then she remembered. The gift Archie had given her for Christmas. She stepped out of the changing room in her normal clothes, giving her friends a small smile. "I'm done here, I have my dress ready at home

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: Hey, one quick thing. I won't be updating tomorrow as I will be busy setting up my living room for Bodies In Motion. Y'know, making sure the antenna is in the right place so that I get the best reception, making popcorn, washing my CSI t-shirt so I can wear it, etc. So I hope this chapter is an adequate WWMF fix, because you won't be getting another one 'til Friday! But I imagine all of you will be watching Bodies In Motion, too. Reviews will make me write better!  
Peace, Love, Empathy,  
Maddy


	17. Got date?

A/N: Gah! I've fallen behind on my writing! I didn't get a chance to update this morning because I was too tired...I'll answer some nice reviews, though. And don't hate me for who Sara takes to the dance, okay? I'm just a lowly fanfiction writer.

**Linwe Melwasul: **You almost gave me a heart-attack with the second sentence. Sara and Brass? DISGUSTING! Anyway, you'll see in this chapter who ends up going with who. Teeheehee.

**NickGilGreggonumber1fan: **Yeah, I still don't know who will end up with Sara in the final culmination, but she's not going to the dance with either him, nor Greg.

**JoonSanders: **I feel bad for Jim's hopelessness in the dating game. If he was cooler, I'd put myself in and date him, but he's too scary. Any volunteers from the audience?

**charmed1818:** Mia's dress is based off the only dress I own, Catherine's is from my friend's dress she wore to our 8th grade promotion, and Sara's is from a picture of Arwen from LOTR I found on the net. I hope everyone else likes them as much as me.

**Silver Hair Fox: **Would you be averse to having Natasha Haan date Jim? 'Cause I can find someone else, but...As always, another great review. Can't wait to read more of TCSISIAR.

**Daisyangel: **I'm waiting to see what Warrick thinks of Mia's dress, too. I have a small case of writer's block and I can't remember what I was going to have him do! You'll see who Sara takes soon. I hate myself for doing it, so don't blame me!

XoXoXoXoX

Sara was walking briskly down the hall to the chem. lab. Mrs. Wells had pulled her out of French class and told her to go find Warrick. With the consent of the French teacher, Mr. Levine, she had looked at his schedule and set off, bringing her to the current situation.

She knocked timidly on the door of the science room, turning the knob hesitantly when an ominous voice said, "Come in…"

She walked quickly to the back of the room, visibly aware that every eye had turned in her direction. She sat in an empty seat next to Warrick's lab partner, a tall, skinny boy who looked about sixteen.

"Rick," she whispered urgently. "Mrs. Wells told me to come get you, she wouldn't tell me why but she looked happy." Sara sounded skeptical as she said the last part, but when Warrick opened his mouth to answer, his partner cut him off.

"I'm Conrad Ecklie. Pleasure to make your acquaintance," he said in an oily voice. Sara looked at him oddly, shook his hand, mumbled a quick introduction, and turned back to Warrick. "You in?" She asked.

Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed his wrist and dragged him to the door, throwing an excuse over her shoulder at the confused teacher.

Ecklie watched them go, a bemused, dreamy look on his face.

XoXoXoXoX

Mrs. Wells was talking excitedly about another play. Warrick and Sara looked at each other in exasperatedly, each wishing they could be anywhere but that stuffy auditorium.

"So, you don't have to be in the play if you don't want to, but the two of you did such a lovely job with the set of Sleepy Hollow that I'd love for you to design one for Romeo and Juliet."

The two teenagers exchanged glances, both declining politely and leaving the room. Once out of earshot of the eccentric band teacher, Warrick and Sara burst into hysterics.

"She offered us parts as Juliet and Romeo," Sara said through her giggles. She wiped tears of mirth from her eyes.

"Yeah," Warrick said, getting control of his laughter long enough to reply. "She just can't get us right. You and Gil, you and me, what's she thinking?"

They parted ways in front of the stairs to the gym, and Sara took them two at a time, anticipating the look on Nick's face when she told him the story.

XoXoXoXoX

Nick was walking absently looking into his gym locker in the boy's changing rooms, digging through the pile of clothing for his shirt. He wasn't really paying attention, though, and he missed it several times. Finally snatching it up, he slammed his locker and leaned against it, not bothering to put on his t-shirt.

"I've been rehearsing all morning," Nick thought. "It's such a simple question."

He said loudly, as though practicing to an invisible girl, "Will you go to the dance with me?" The only other boy still in the locker room gave him a coy smile and started to walk over. "Oh, I'm practicing asking this girl I like to the dance," Nick explained quickly. The other boy wilted and walked out of the room, leaving Nick very much alone.

Finally pulling on his shirt, Nick walked out into the hall, up the stairs, and through the school's corridors until he reached his third-period classroom.

XoXoXoXoX

Sara was making her way thoughtfully through the lunch line. Nick and Greg had both been acting strangely. Maybe it was the fact that the dance was almost upon them, looming over, threatening impending doom.

Sara chose a carton of orange juice from the counter in front of her, and was reaching into her pocket for some money when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

Conrad Ecklie was standing behind her, a small smile on his rodent-like features. Sara turned to face him, and, after remembering his name, said timidly, "Conrad, right?"

"Yeah," Ecklie said. He seemed a bit nervous. "You're Sara Sidle, Warrick's friend?"

Sara nodded. Ecklie continued. "Well, Sara, I just wondered if…" he trailed off, looking at the floor. The smile had been wiped from his face. "If you're not going to the dance with anyone," he continued slowly, "maybe we could go together?"

Sara smiled. She hadn't thought anyone would ask her. She didn't really like the thought of going with such an obviously stuck-up boy, but she told him yes anyway.

After paying for her lunch, she walked to the table wear all her friends sat. She told them excitedly about how she'd gotten a date for the dance, not noticing the false smiles Greg and Nick were wearing. After a few moments of awkward silence, Jim struck up a conversation with Gil, and the atmosphere returned to normal. Excepting, of course, the aura that surrounded two of the boys, who felt that whatever chance they had at love in life was gone.

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: OMG Bodies in Motion was so good, I taped it and everything, I'm so happy! I'd also love some reviews, but please don't reprimand me for having Sara with Ecklie. It's all for the good of the story.

Maddy


	18. Broken Hearts

A/N: This chapter is so good! The Gil/Cath thing happened to me and this guy I know at my Winter Formal, so don't laugh at it. It's a very touching memory that I have.Furthermore, understandably, many of you are confused as per my Sara/Ecklie thing. I can only give you fair warning. It gets worse from here. But fear not, dear reviewers! They will be terminated by Valentine's day, and this chapter is on January 21st. I'm not going to answer any reviews this time around, I'd rather just post and get it over with. I couldn't do it this morning because I had to go to band practice really early, and then I was going to update in the afternoon, but my mom made me go to this stupid barbeque that totally sucked! I'll update tomorrow morning, that's for sure. Without further whatever, Broken Hearts!

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine was strolling down the halls of the school, towards the gym. The rest of the gang was hot on her heels, Sara and Ecklie coming last, right behind Warrick and Mia. Gil and Jim were walking uncertainly behind Nick and Greg, who walked through the gym doors behind Catherine.

The music blared from the speakers in each corner, but none of the couples were dancing, really. Some were kissing excitedly, in the shadows along the walls. Warrick and Mia followed suit, bringing the number of people in the group down to eight. Archie looked despairingly after Mia, perfect in every way, wearing the dress that he had painstakingly looked for, taking more than an hour to find the perfect gift.

Ecklie had pulled Sara into a clumsy dance, and they were holding a choppy conversation over the music about nothing in particular. Sara was finding she sort of liked talking to him. "And he likes me," Sara reminded herself, as if she'd ever forget. Nick and Greg were wearing identical looks of disgust, and they turned back to the group, which had dwindled down to six.

Catherine sat down on a chair next to Archie. She looked over at him, following his gaze to where Warrick and Mia were still glued together at the lips. "You got it bad, man," she commented. Archie nodded, and then looked at her with horror.

"How'd you know?" he asked, mystified.

"I have my ways, Archie," Catherine said in an aloof tone of voice, "I always find out what I want to know."

XoXoXoXoX

Nick, Greg, Gil and Jim were sitting across the gym from Catherine and Archie. A very pretty sophomore who Jim recognized as Natasha Haan walked over to them. Surprising everyone in the vicinity, she addressed Jim.

"Do you want to dance with me?" She smiled, showing white, even teeth. Jim mumbled something inaudible, and, with his cheeks flaming, stood up and offered his arm. Looking back as Natasha led him onto the dance floor, he gave Gil a look of astonishment and mouthed "The apocalypse is coming!"

Gil snickered. He got dates less often than Jim, but they both decided that if any girl willingly approached either of them, it was a sure sign that the world was coming to an end. "Especially if the girl's as pretty as that," Gil added, as an afterthought.

XoXoXoXoX

Warrick and Mia were looking into each other's eyes, exchanging kisses every now and then. Mia was completely entranced, but Warrick had different things on his mind. "Why did she wear the dress Archie gave her?" he thought, frustrated. "Did she do it just to make me jealous?"

His inner turmoil, however, showed not at all on his face. He stopped his furious thoughts for a moment and turned to the matter at hand, namely, the beautiful girl who was waiting for him to speak.

"You know, Mia," he said, choosing his words carefully. He'd been planning this conversation for a couple of weeks and he had it down to a science. "You are so beautiful. You mean more to me than you know, and…" He looked her directly in her chocolate brown eyes. "I think I love you."

Mia leaned forward, kissing him gently, and then pulled away. "I love you too, Warrick. I love you so much."

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine was standing near the back door of the gym, which was open, smoking a cigarette. She stubbed it out on the ground with one stiletto heel, walking further into the large room and leaning against the wall. She barely acknowledged the shadowy figure making its way toward her. She wiped a tear off her cheek as it drew closer, and when she saw it was Gil she stifled her tears immediately.

Gil, walking toward the figure at the back of the gym, was thinking about what Archie had told him. "Catherine wants you to dance with her, but she doesn't want to ask. I'm not supposed to say anything, though." These words echoed through Gil's mind, and all his rational thoughts were stripped of their logic and left to run free about his head.

When he reached Catherine, he put his hands on her waist and, when she didn't respond, pushed her arms up so they were draped around his neck. Close up, he could see that her eyes were slightly bloodshot, as though she'd been crying. Gil made a mental note to personally murder whatever scumbag made her cry.

Catherine was backed up against a wall, Gil leaning closer. Both of them were saying meaningless things, babbling to avoid an uncomfortable silence. Suddenly, Gil shushed her. "I hope I never forget this," he whispered to her as he leaned toward her, almost closing the space between them.

At that exact moment, two things happened. First, the lights went out, the music stopped, and a few girls screamed. Second, right before the kiss that would seal their fate was about to take place, a burly, mean-looking sophomore pulled Gil back and punched him squarely on the jaw. Gil fell to one side, leaning on the wall for support as Catherine watched in horror. The sophomore stepped forward once more, shouting something about himself "having dibs" on Catherine Willows. Catherine was appalled, and horrified about the abuse being done to the man she loved. She stepped forward, tripped on the hem of her dress, and fell to the ground, bruising a cheek and both her knees. Unable to stand up, she watched, terror-stricken as the boy hit Gil again.

"No," she screamed weakly. Her voice was scratchy from crying, and the tears were flowing freely down her face. Gil took notice, and pushed himself away from the wall with renewed vigor.

"You can't own a woman!" he shouted fiercely, balling a fist and punching the bigger boy in the eye. The fight continued raging, until the larger boy stepped away, tossing over his shoulder, "You're dead, Grissom. Next time, you're dead."

XoXoXoXoX

Sara and Ecklie were swaying on the spot. Sara felt very comfortable in his arms, despite her first impression of him. He had, in fact, turned out to be a sweet, smart, sensitive guy who listened when she spoke and made her feel special.

Ecklie pulled away from the warm embrace, then bent down and kissed Sara softly on the cheek. "I have to go," he said quietly. "I'm grounded for setting fire to the kitchen with my chemistry set."

Sara laughed, leaned up, and kissed him on the mouth. Quickly, tentatively, he kissed her back, then broke contact and walked away. "See you on Monday," he said, a slight bounce to his voice.

Sara explained to all her friends that she was going home; not registering the sad shape Gil and Catherine were in after their ordeal.

Nick and Greg watched her go, each filled with sadness. They, along with Archie, had hearts that were breaking badly. None of them greeted Jim warmly when he returned from a few dances with Natasha.

Jim's face fell when he saw the many bruises Gil was sporting, and he sat down to listen to the story. He noticed that Gil and Catherine were being unusually cold to each other, but dismissed it as he heard the story. With Gil telling it, however, it was censored to exclude anything that did or did not happen between Catherine and him. This made it seem like the other sophomore had beaten Gil up for no reason, but Jim didn't question it.

"When he's ready to tell me, he will."


	19. A Diabolical Plan

A/N: Hello, all! It's me, your nerdy friend, Maddy, here to answer two reviews that I got for chapter 18. And to say, this chapter is dedicated to **Silver Hair Fox**, who's going to be at bandcamp for a while. Until the 28th, I think. Right?

**JoonSanders: **Yeah, the whole shebang with Cath and Gil happened to me, and the reason I said "don't laugh" is because it's like my fairytale moment, and I don't want someone to think it's cheesy because I'm still totally in love with the guy. Sad, ain't it?

**Silver Hair Fox: **I totally understand thatyou have bandcamp, I'll miss your reviews! There's a littleTasha/Jim fluff at the end of this chapter, not a lot, because of all the **totally intense** events of last chapter, but still...I do what I can. Love you, girl!

XoXoXoXoX

"Hey, Nick! Greg!" Catherine was hiding in a corner between two lockers when they walked by.

"Cath, what's up?" Nick asked, amused at her attempts to remove herself from her hiding place. Greg was equally puzzled, but said nothing.

"Warrick told Mia, who told Jim, who told Archie, who told me, that this Ecklie guy Sara's seeing is a real creep," she said, all in one breath. "He says that this nice, sweet, sensitive guy thing is all an act."

"No offense to your mad detective skills, Cath, but…No duh!" Greg said, laughing. "He's obviously a sleazy bastard who only wants one thing."

Nick nodded, feeling gratitude that Greg had said the exact thing he was going to.

"Well," Catherine said, looking a little hurt for a second, but cheering up quickly. "I propose that we follow them on their Valentine's Day date. We'll go to the same restaurant, in disguise, of course, and make sure he doesn't try anything. We need to keep Sara innocent and un-violated!"

Nick and Greg agreed immediately, just as Catherine knew they would. "Let's hope we don't have to do anything drastic," she thought to herself as she walked away from the two boys.

XoXoXoXoX

Gil was sitting in his advanced biology class, a vacant expression on his face. It was February seventh, seventeen days after the incident at the dance. His bruises had almost completely healed, and, although the other boy still hadn't been caught, there were no more threats on his life for the time being. On the downside, however, he and Catherine had barely spoken to one another, and the atmosphere weighed heavily on their shoulders whenever they were alone together, which was rarely.

"What was I thinking?" he thought to himself, remembering how bold he had been, pushing her against a wall and trying to kiss her. His mind had distorted the memory so much that, now that he thought of it, she seemed to be an unwilling participant in everything. In his thoughts, she had not wanted to kiss him, to have his arms wrapped around her waist, to be closer to him than she ever had before. His wicked imagination had invented a look of relief when the other boy had intervened.

Sighing heavily, Gil opened his textbook and stared at the page in a melancholy way. "Why can't life be as simple as science?" He thought. "Why do they let us loose on the world with no instruction, no directions on what to do in which situations, no helpful pamphlet to turn to when you can't tell what's going on?" He glanced at the empty page in his notebook, then busied himself by filling it with notes.

XoXoXoXoX

Speaking rapidly in French, Sara was standing at the front of the class. She was trying desperately to explain to her teacher that she had promised Mrs. Wells that she would help decorate the balcony in Romeo and Juliet. Unfortunately, her French was less than stellar, and she stumbled over words quite often.

"Désolé, monsieur ! Je dois aider la série en haut Roméo et Juliet, j'ai dit mon enseignant que je serais là-bas ! S'il vous plaît, peux-j'aller?" Sara was pleading, her mind set on getting out of French for a day.

"Ouais," the teacher said wearily, waving a hand at her as if to say "Leave me now; spare me from hearing any more of your lousy French!"

Sara sprinted from the room, bursting into the auditorium two minutes later and apologizing to Mrs. Wells for being late. "My French teacher made me talk in French to the whole class, he wouldn't let me leave!"

Mrs. Wells smiled at her enthusiasm, pointed her to the balcony, and sat back down the front row of seats with a Stephen King novel clutched in one bony hand.

Ecklie, much to Sara's surprise, was standing on a stepladder next to the balcony, arranging a vine of silk flowers on a trellis. Sara walked over, poked him in the side, and grinned up at him when he looked down. A smile broke across his face, and he stepped down from the ladder to give her a quick kiss and ask her to grab the string of lights for the railing, please.

XoXoXoXoX

Warrick vaguely acknowledged the absence of his lab partner in chemistry that morning; he was too busy thinking about Mia. Her dazzling smile, her bright eyes, the way she had said "I love you" to him on the best night of his life so far. He speculated, only for a moment, on why such a beautiful girl would choose him, a science geek with thick glasses, unnatural eyes, and a height of five-feet five.

He smiled, deciding not to question her judgment, and looked up at the teacher, who was scribbling furiously on the board. He had already copied all of his notes from the textbook, and was instead reliving the moment when Mia had first kissed him, in front of everyone, on Christmas night.

XoXoXoXoX

Natasha Haan was in an almost comatose state of ecstasy. She hadn't been paying attention to the teacher for the entire period, thinking of Jim Brass, the sophomore who had danced with her so kindly at the winter formal. He had been so sweet, talking to her while they danced, smiling and laughing with her…

Tasha sighed. "He's so…dreamy," she thought, smiling a little. They hadn't talked much since that night, but she was sure he felt the chemistry between them. She didn't know how he couldn't; it was electrifying and anxious, calm and comforting all in one. She felt special when she was with Jim, like she was someone else. She wasn't sure if he felt the same, but she hoped he did. "If I even have the slightest chance with him, I'm the luckiest, happiest, most happy-go-lucky girl in the world," she decided.

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: Well…That was interesting. I hope it was as good as last chapter, which I am TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH! From here on out, the Cath/Gil isn't based off me, it was just last chapter. In truth, the boy who was Gil to my Catherine is still not with me, but I am so in love with him…We're great friends, though. Andthe French that Sara says is from a free translation website, so it's not that accurate. The teacher is saying "yes", though. I know that muchFrench!Anyway, I have to go work on my friend's birthday present. Ta!

Hugs and smooches,

Maddy


	20. The Plan In Action

A/N: Gah! I just put up the last chapter, twice! Oops! I think I fixed it, now. I won't be updating on September 26th because I updated twice today (the 25th) unless I have a really good idea or way too much time on my hands. Thanks to **Linwe Melwasul**, **JoonSanders**, and **XxbluemoonxX **for your reviews that totally rocked my socks off. The chapter is dedicated, once again, to the most fabulous Nikki, who's at bandcamp. Enjoy!

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Nick adjusted his sunglasses and, feeling relieved that he didn't look like his two companions, sat down at the table. Greg was wearing large Versace lenses over his brown eyes, his hair had been dyed black with one-wash dye, and his clothes were nothing short of comical. He had bought the very shirt that he had almost convinced Archie into buying, with its hideous purple and green plaid fabric. He was wearing jeans, but they had an assortment of odd patches on them. Nick counted four My Little Pony ones alone before Greg had taken a seat.

Catherine had also done her hair black with the same dye as Greg's, and she'd applied a darker foundation than she would normally have, all over her skin. She was wearing an authentic Japanese kimono, and her hair was in an elaborate knot held in place with chopsticks. She was the epitome of Japanese geisha-ness, and she was sitting at a table with an equally strange Greg and Nick, who looked out of place in the group being so normal.

"Talk about going incognito," Nick thought to himself. "Cath and Greg will probably attract more attention than if we had just gone as ourselves. I hope Ecklie and Sara are too absorbed with each other to notice us."

XoXoXoXoX

Ecklie and Sara were looking across the table, over the romantic centerpiece of candles, at each other. "Valentine's Day is so nice," Sara thought. "This restaurant is so romantic; it's really decorated for the occasion." Indeed, the restaurant had outdone itself with pink hearts decorating the walls, roses in vases in the centerpiece of every table, and every table for two lit by candles.

Conrad was having similar thoughts, but his were marred by images of Sara that would float across his mind periodically. He smiled slightly at the beautiful girl sitting across from him, and struck up a conversation.

Once the couple had eaten, making pauses to feed each other food of their own plates and talk in sappy voices, Ecklie paid the bill and left a generous tip, the offered his arm to Sara and together they walked out the door.

XoXoXoXoX

"There they go," murmured Catherine, standing quickly. She had already had the bill sent to Sam Braun, and she and the boys tailed the smiling couple to the door.

"Let me give you a ride home," Ecklie simpered, "A beautiful girl like you, it might be dangerous for you to walk home at night."

Sara blushed, feeling relieved that Ecklie had gotten his driver's license the previous week. "Thanks, Conrad."

Ecklie smiled as they reached his car. He cupped Sara's face in his hands and kissed her warmly. Then he moved closer, deepening the kiss. Sara was pressed against the car, unable to move because one of Ecklie's arms had wound tightly around her, his hand clutching her arm and restricting her movement.

Sara thought nothing of this handicap, and leaned forward eagerly; kissing Ecklie with a lust that only she could understand. Next to the restaurant, Greg and Nick blanched. It was hard to tell whether Sara was enjoying this attention or not.

Ecklie took his hand away from her face and moved it downwards, sliding Sara's short skirt up her leg. She struggled for a moment, then his hand left her thigh. Her heart stopped as she heard the unmistakable sounds of a belt buckle being undone. Sara broke the kiss, trying to push away but his death grip on her was too tight. His hand was back, sliding her skirt up. One finger was moving along the top of her panties. Sara screamed. She brought a knee up and hit Ecklie squarely where young men really shouldn't be hit.

Catherine, Nick, and Greg were already sprinting across the parking lot toward the scene. Ecklie was still forcing himself on Sara, throwing her across the hood of his car and pinning her arms with his knees. He was stifling her screams with one hand, taking her panties off with the other.

Sara heard footsteps, just as the edges of her vision began to fuzz, and she felt Ecklie slide her panties down her leg just a little, not enough so that anything was showing, but enough to make her struggle harder. The weight on her chest became too much, and the hand on her mouth was too tight. The blackness obscured her vision, and she was falling down, drowning in a pool of shadows, screaming without making a sound. The darkness all around was sucking her in, and then she wasn't aware of anything.

XoXoXoXoX

Nick pulled Ecklie violently off of Sara, and punched him squarely in the jaw. Catherine ran to Sara's side and checked her pulse, pulling her panties up and her skirt down once she made sure that her friend was still alive.

Greg was beating every inch of Ecklie in reach, Nick alongside him, doing the same. It was almost as if this was enough to bring them back together, friends again, united for the good of the girl they loved. Nick put a hand on Greg's arm, looking him in the eyes. "You can stop now," he said slowly. Greg had his hand over Ecklie's windpipe and was applying pressure steadily. Ecklie had lost consciousness, and he was bleeding from his mouth and nose. Catherine hurried over; making sure that Ecklie would live and would wake up before daybreak.

She rushed over to Sara and hoisted the smaller girl on her back, her thin muscles straining with the effort.

"Get my cell phone," she grunted at Nick, who reached into her purse, discarded next to Ecklie's bleeding body, and held up the phone. "Speed dial, one," she said, "Tell Sam to come pick us up in front of La Chaussette!"

A shiny black limo pulled up about ten minutes later, and the four teens, Catherine carrying Sara, got in. There, in the flesh, was Sam Braun. Greg and Nick stared in wonder at the Vegas tycoon.

"Mogs, are you all right? What happened?" Genuine concern was in the man's voice, and he listened intently as Catherine related to him the whole story of Ecklie and the Valentine's Day date gone rotten.

"Call your parents," Sam said, "I think it's best if you all stay with me tonight. It's late, and I have doctors who can take care of her." He indicated Sara's unconscious form on the seat beside Catherine.

In turn, each teen called their parents and explained the situation, Catherine taking the job of calling the Petersons and saying Sara was spending the night with her. "If she wants to tell them, she can when she wakes up," Catherine thought.

XoXoXoXoX

February 15th was a Tuesday, but school had been canceled for the teachers' first-aid training, and the four freshmen soon left the company of Sam and Catherine to go to their own homes, Sara last of all, who thanked Catherine many times before leaving the house with her foster mother.

"Y'know what, Sam?" Catherine asked as the door shut behind her friend. Sam looked down with a questioning look on his face. "She's a braver girl than me. If that had happened with me and some guy, I don't think I would've woken up."

"Mogs, I know you're stronger than that," Sam said, putting an arm around her skinny shoulders. He couldn't help but wonder, however, what kind of world he was giving to this girl who was so near to his heart. He knew he wouldn't always be around to pick her up and cover for her, but he hoped that the day would never come when she was in so much trouble that he could do nothing. Sam Braun, famous Las Vegas millionaire, sighed morosely and wished, for once in his life, that he had more power and persuasion, just for the one child he ever loved.

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: Not quite sure what it is, exactly, that Sam calls Cath, but it always sounded like "Mogs" to me, so that's what I put. I hope you liked this chapter as much as I did, I hate making Ecklie so evil, but it had to be done for the good of the story. There'll be some characters reflecting on it next chapter. And, to Silver Hair Wolf, who'll be reading this soon, sorry I couldn't put Natasha in this one. I don't think she's one to follow around a girl she barely knows. Ta!

Maddy


	21. Touch Me

A/N: Finally, the Rocky chapter! I've been waiting to post this since I started WWMF. It didn't turn out nearly as good as I hoped it would, but...cut me some slack! I wrote it at like 2:00am today. Anyway, it's dedicated to **Silver Hair Fox, **who's getting back from bandcamp today or tomorrow! I think later today...Nikki, come read my story!

XoXoXoXoX

Sara jumped at the knock on her door. It was 10:30pm on a Saturday night, and everyone was sitting in her living room, including Natasha Haan, who wasn't "going out" with Jim, but they had a mutual liking. Everyone was there, except for Catherine. "This must be her," Sara thought, swinging the door open. There was Catherine, a newspaper in one hand and the other held poised to knock again. Sara gaped at the outfit she was wearing. A pink knee-length skirt with a coat, a button-up shirt, and pink shoes. Her hair was down, she was wearing a smattering of makeup, and she was looking very uncharacteristically proper. "We're going to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show."

The gang stood to leave. Catherine had promised to show them what she did with her Saturday nights, and this was the night. The all had their skateboards, because the place they were going wasn't far from Sara's house, and they all managed the journey quite easily. Natasha had borrowed a board from Greg, and she proved to be an excellent skater, even though she was somewhat inexperienced. Jim and Gil were the last to arrive, both out of breath and with a few dirt spots on the knees of their pants, showing that they'd had more trouble than Natasha.

Catherine waved them all into a dingy theater, past a line of people, some wearing corsets, some in street clothes, all looking very questionable. They seemed to be buying tickets from a woman in a sequined bustier and gold tailcoat. She looked quizically at Catherine, who waved to the group and said "They're with me," cool as cucumber.

Once she had made sure everyone was comfortably seated in the front row, Catherine hurried backstage and a man in a gold speedo with a dark tan and bleached hair came on the stage. "Hey, everyone!" he said into a microphone. "Hey, Rocky!" the crowd answered him. They had filled the theater, and Gil was amazed at how many people they had managed to fit into such a small room.

"I have a surprise," said 'Rocky', but he didn't look very happy. "We're not having a pre-show tonight, we have to close early and it would take too much time. Sorry, guys."

A collective groan rose from the audience, but was silenced by Rocky stepping off the stage and the curtains opening to reveal a pair of lips on the movie screen. The lips began to sing. Greg was sitting on one side of Sara, and he looked over at her. She was gazing intently at the lips, listening to the song, and a smile played across her own lips for a moment. Greg brightened. "This is just what she needs. A night out with the gang to watch a movie with a bunch of weirdos in lingerie," he thought seriously. "Maybe it'll take her mind off the Ecklie thing. It's a damn good thing he didn't rat us out about half-killing him, I would've finished the job." A little more than a week since the incident, and Sara was doing a lot better now that she'd had some time to recover. She'd taken a day off school to go to a clinic and make sure he hadn't given her any diseases or gotten her pregnant. Sara knew that they hadn't actually had sex, but she wanted to make sure the creep had left her as good as he'd found her.

Greg looked back up at the screen and the stage just in time to see the scene switch to a church, and he spotted Catherine among a group of actors, smiling and waving, standing beside a man in nerdy glasses. He nudged Gil, on his other side, and told her she was there. He tried to act mildly surprised, as if Greg was pointing out something completely ordinary, but blew his cover completely when he began to stare intently at Catherine, not taking his eyes off her for a second.

Nick couldn't decide whether to reach for Sara's hand, or not. He was on the very end, right next to Sara. "Greg's on her other side," Nick noted, glowering before turning back up to the actors on stage. He noticed that Catherine and the man in the nerd glasses had abandoned the rest of the actors, and were embarking on a little musical adventure.

"Look, Nick! Greg!" Sara whispered, grabbing both their hands and making the boys melt simultaniously. "Catherine's singing!" Indeed she was. After a few moments of the man singing, Catherine had taken the spotlight and was singing to him in a sultry voice.

Her character, Janet, and the man with the glasses, Brad, were clearly in love. "Now we're engaged and I'm so glad," she sang.

XoXoXoXoX

A few scenes later, a woman with frizzy red hair and a man with a bald spot were engaged in a dance onstage, singing along with a chorus of people on screen. Most of the audience was also onstage, doing the "Time Warp" in perfect synchronization. Archie noticed the woman they'd seen handing out tickets was now tap-dancing and singing in an insanely high pitched voice. He was trying not to look at the scene going on next to him, Warrick and Mia were wrapped in each other and it was twisting Archie's heart painfully.

Jim noticed this, and he told Archie to stand up. He moved into Archie's vacated seat, Natasha moved into Jim's, and Archie was free to sit next to Natasha, with two people between him and the happy couple. Unfortunately, Mia caught sight of them all changing seats, and she broke the kiss with Warrick, looking over at Archie.

The sight made her own heart wrench, for he was wearing the saddest expression she'd ever seen. He looked broken, shattered, like someone had frozen him and dropped him on the floor where he'd smashed into a million fragments. The delicate porcelain figure that a child had played too roughly with.

She turned away, looking at Gil, who was on Archie's other side. His eyes had gone wide at something the actors were doing, and she looked up quickly to see what it was. Catherine was being stripped down to her bra and a slip skirt, showing off her flat stomach and long legs. "If I were a guy, I'd be gaping, too," Mia thought to herself, smiling a little. "Especially if I'd fallen for her as much as he has."

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine had begun to sing. Her skirt was much shorter than when she'd started, as she'd ripped it into strips. Now she was standing onstage with Rocky, who was looking very amazed as he put his hands up to touch her.

"Touch-a touch-a touch-a touch me, I wanna be dirty! Thrill me, chill me, fulfill me, creature of the night!" Catherine sang. She had a look of ecstasy on her face as she pressed against Rocky. A jealous look marred Gil's face, he glowered up at Rocky who was still staring intently at Catherine's assets.

She sang more surely, and the scene onstage was getting the desired reaction from the audience. Most of the male members, and many of the female ones, were screaming "Take it off!" to Catherine. She was basking in the glory. It seemed that the song wasn't over soon enough, even though it was only about two and a half minutes.

Gil spent every second half-glowering at Rocky, half staring at Catherine's body. "She is so beautiful," he thought sadly. "She'll never like me back, the dance is enough to prove that. She's so brave to go up there, and so perfect in every way." A lovesick look had come over his face, and he was broken out of his prison of thoughts by a sharp elbow in his side from Greg. Catherine had been turning to look at them, giving them a warm smile. Gil gave Greg a look of gratitude, the favor having saved him from looking incredibly foolish.

At three o' clock in the morning, the gang left the theater, Catherine being swarmed by mobs of boys. Gil glared at all of them, though none of them gave him any heed. Catherine was laughing and smiling, savoring the way it felt to be a star. After a few blocks, they reached Sara's house again, and they all lugged their skateboards inside, dumping them on the floor in the livingroom.

Sara ushered them upstairs to a guest room, where they said goodnight to all the boys, then led the girls to her own room, where they unrolled sleeping bags and and said their own goodnights. Natasha was becoming part of the group, just as Mia had earlier in the year, and she had grown to be great friends with all the girls, as well as Jim. The group was evolving, becoming larger, taking in new parts, like an amoeba, gathering new parts becoming larger and happier still.

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: So, there's my Rocky chapter. I listened to the soundtrack while I was writing it, but if you haven't seen the movie, it probably won't make much sense. I tried to keep it simple, but...As always, reviews are greatly appriciated. I love you all to pieces!  
Hugs, kisses, lovebites, whatevah,  
Maddy


	22. Cuts and Questions

A/N: This chapter is super short because I didn't add the last bit I was going to. Nikki, who just got back from band camp, asked me to put it up, and I'm a sucker for her, so I did. Thanks to her for being the ONLY person to review my Rocky chapter, I wish other people had, too! No answers today, as I'm talking to her and answered her already. Now read on!

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"Gah! Grab my hand, we don't want to get separated!" Greg called out to Sara, wrapping his strong fingers tightly around hers.

"Greg, watch out!" Sara yelled, noticing the backpack sitting in the road in front of Greg. He wasn't looking, however, he was gazing into the eyes of the beautiful brunette holding his hand. One of his feet tangled in the strap, and he tripped, pulling Sara down by their linked hands. After a few moments and a few loud obsenities later, Greg was on his feet and Sara was helping him limp to a small cabin, where a nurse was waiting, wringing her hands and watching the teenagers.

She ushered them inside, Sara choosing a seat next to the bed which Greg had occupied. "Let me see that leg," the nurse said, motioning to Greg's bloodied shin, staining the bottom of his boardshorts a dark crimson. Greg winced as the nurse applied gauze to the would, wrapping it around his leg until no blood soaked through.

Sara watched in awe. She remembered how she'd fallen on his leg, and wondered if this had been the result of her weight, or his clumsiness. She thought back to third period, when Mr. De la Cruz had told them they were taking the rest of the day off to go see a Native American burial ground. Sara and Greg were just as unenthusiastic as the rest of the class, but Greg had brightened considerably when he realized this would let he and Sara be alone (without Nick) for the better part of a day. Sara stared as the nurses hands smoothly wound the cloth over Greg's leg, keeping a steady rhythm. She had a fleeting image of herself bandaging his leg like that. It made her shiver, though she didn't think it was entirely a bad thing.

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Nick was playing his viola in rapid strokes, watching Mrs. Wells gesture violently with her conducter's wand. Natasha was standing behind him, her trumpet blasting right next to the back of his head. Mrs. Wells gave them the signal to cut the music, and at once the torrent of sound ceased. She took up a large stack of sheet music and told them she'd be giving them something new to work on. After a few moments, however, she cried out, saying that she'd lost the cello music. A few musicians got up to help her sort through the papers, while everyone else milled around, talking in hushed voices.

"Hey, Natasha!" Nick muttered under his breath. She turned to look at him, her hazel eyes boring into his soul. He felt as if she could read his mind, and he need not ask what he was thinking. "Are you and Jim, like, going out? Not officially yet, but are you?" Nick felt foolish asking, as if he should know these things about his friends.

Natasha shook back her long, flowing, brown hair and looked at him, a slightly hurt expression marring her china-doll features. It seemed like she also thought he should already know. She turned away, swinging her tan arms and hesitating before taking a step toward where her trumpet was sitting, on a chair.

Nick couldn't help but notice her tan line, just above the cut of her low-rise jeans. He was almost sad to see her turn around and come back to him, an apologetic look on her face. "I shouldn't have gotten mad, I know it's hard to tell, what with the stuff at the dance," she said, smiling in an embarassed sort of way. "I really like him, but he seems sort of..." she paused, not knowing how to describe Jim. "Like he doesn't know what to do. Sort of like he's afraid to try being with a girl."

Nick was slightly uncomfortable at her choice of words. "Does that mean you asked him out and he rejected you?" he asked bluntly.

"No, it's just that..." she stopped again, searching for the words. "We both want it to be special, when we start a relationship. We hardly know eachother at all."

Nick nodded understandingly. He knew about wanting to start a romance in a special way, he'd thought about how to ask Sara many times. He'd written letters, songs, made plans to throw waffles at her window until she came out, then shout up to her how much he loved her, really, he loved her. He wished she knew.

As if reading his mind, Natasha asked, "You've got it bad for Sara, right?" Nick nodded dumbly, feeling his face grow hot. Natasha laughed at his dumbstruck look, saying nonchalantly, "Everyone knows about the little love triangle you and Greg have with her. Sara's totally oblivious, though."

She watched as Nick's muscles untensed, his whole body seemed to radiate relief. "How about a change of subject... The Warrick and Mia triangle with Archie?" Nick tried to sound casual, but his eagerness to get off the subject of his non-existant romantic life showed in his voice.

"Alright, okay," Natasha said, holding up her hands in surrender. "I was just interested, that's all."

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A/N: So there you have it. A nice little piece that explains Natasha's relationship with Jim. Isn't that lovely? Now I'm going to go back to multi-tasking homework and instant messenger, so remember to review!  
Love,  
Maddy


	23. The Irish Challenge

A/N: Wow, my third chapter today? Nikki asked me to write one while she was watching NCIS, so I did. Hooray. I'm trying not to skip over any holidays, but I might not do Easter just because I've never had an Easter celebration before. I don't know what it's all about. All I do on that Sunday in April is pull out all my old Miyazaki movies and watch them all, starting with My Neighbor Totoro and ending with Spirited Away. It's fun.

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"We are doing something for St. Patrick's day, whether you like it or not!" Natasha said, her voice cracking like a whip through the calm atmosphere. It was a few days until the fateful holiday, and they were planning what to do. "I say, we all dress up entirely in green. Hair, nails, lipstick and eyeshadow for the girls," Catherine said, laughing. She was half-kidding, and was surprised when Mia said, "That's not a bad idea."

"I like it. You know I look dashing in green," Greg said, flashing a devilish grin. Sara rolled her eyes, but smiled. Greg burst with pride at her smile. Nick looked jealously on, until Sara told him "You look great in green, too, you know."

Nick felt himself begin to blush, and he looked down. Sara settled her eyes on his obvious embarassment, smiling a secret smile to herself. "He doesn't know how much I meant it," she said, remembering a day he'd worn a green t-shirt to school. She'd thought it looked fabulous, but she'd been too shy to say. She also remembered the green dress shirt he'd worn to the dance, and how it made him look so...mature. Of course, she'd been too busy with that scumbag, Conrad, to be able to dance with him or Greg. She had regretted it every day after she found out what a horrible manipulative person Ecklie was.

Nick looked up, and saw that Sara was looking at him. He wished he knew what she was thinking, whether she felt the same way, or even if she really meant that he looked good in green. He made a mental note to wear more of the color, and fell back on his hobby of memorizing everything Sara said to him.

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The girls were going through Sara's closet. All the boys had opted for watching a movie, saying they'd wear green on St. Patrick's Day, but they didn't want to help Sara choose her outfit. They were watching Sin City, and all the girls had decided to dig through Sara's stuff and borrow green articles of clothing.

"Oh, this is so cute! Can I borrow it?" Catherine squealed, her head buried in a pile of clothes.

"You found something green?" Mia asked.

"No, but this shirt is adorable!" She said, holding up a black muscle tee with the words "Fashion Victim" printed across it in pink. Sara raised her eyebrows and said, "That's my pajama shirt." Catherine looked steadily at her. "Is that a yes or a no?" she asked playfully, setting the shirt down on top of a stack of folded jeans.

"Fine. But you have to return it in the same condition you got it in," Sara said in a bossy voice. Then she smiled. She had laid her hands on an emerald green v-neck, lowcut on the neckline and high on the waist, a shirt that would show just the right amount of midriff to be sexy.  
Natasha gazed longingly at the shirt and Sara tossed it over to her.

"Try it on," she said casually. Natasha stripped out of her red t-shirt and put on the green one. It looked amazing. The bottom of the shirt barely reached the top of her low-rises, showing just a little peak of tan skin when she moved the right way. "You have to wear it," Mia said, admiring the way a plain shirt could hug someones curves just so, that it could turn someone from a pretty girl into a bombshell.

Sara held up a lime-green shirt. "Try this one, Cath." Catherine caught the shirt when Sara threw it, and she put it on. She looked stunning. It was tight, but not in a slutty way, and it just covered the butt of her jeans. It was beautiful in it's simplicity, like the little black dress that every woman should have hanging in her closet. Catherine smiled. "It was made for you, darling," Sara said, smiling. Mia found the next great shirt. She handed it to Sara. "Put it on, babe."

Sara pulled off her long-sleeved shirt. Unfortunately, at that moment, the boys burst into the room, Nick and Greg in the lead. Sara screamed, and tried hastily to cover herself with the two tops she held in her hands. Greg and Nick both yelped in surprise, covering their eyes and trying to get out of the room. They ran into the rest of the male members of the group, and they all became entangled, a mass of arms and legs on the floor of Sara's bedroom. By this time, of course, Sara had managed to put on her shirt, and she was hiding in one corner of the closet.

Catherine took charge of the situation, shoving all the boys through the door and slamming it after them, not caring that the door hit Greg, the last one to leave. "Sar? They're gone," she said soothingly. Sara came out of the closet, still holding her long-sleeved shirt. All four girls burst into simultanious fits of laughter.

XoXoXoXoX

Nick was looking into his closet with a critical eye. He could describe it as Johnny Cash had once described his own wardrobe. "It's dark in there."

He pulled out a t-shirt he'd worn a few times, holding it up next to the dress shirt he'd worn to the dance. He took them both down the hall, knocking on the door to his older sister, Danielle's, room. "I have a very serious question," he said. "Which shirt would make me look more handsome?"

Danielle paused the tai-chi video she had playing on her small tv, and looked over at the two shirts. She folded her arms across her sports-bra-clad chest and stuck her tongue between her teeth, thinking. "I have to say, go with the t-shirt. It says you're casual, but you know how to look nice. You're smart, but you're not stuck up."

Nick smiled at his sister. She grinned back, turning away as he shut the door and pressing play on the vcr.

XoXoXoXoX

The Cure was blasting through the speakers of Greg's cd player. Boys Don't Cry was his all-time favorite album, and it seemed to help him think through his problems. The most pressing matter at the moment being a green tie.

"I know I had one," he thought, taking down the box that held his ties and pawing through it again. He picked each tie up, one at a time, and threw them on his bed. Finally he looked down into the bottom of the box. One lonely tie remained, a bright green one with a pattern of clovers.

"Yes!" he congratulated himself, dancing a small victory dance. He tied it around his neck, then slipped it over his head and threw it on top of a pair of green jeans, a green shirt, socks, and even a pair of boxers that were neon green with darker green stripes. "She is going to love this," he said out loud, thinking of how Sara would laugh at his odd aray of clothing. "I can't wait til St. Patrick's day!"

XoXoXoXoX

So there's my beautiful chapter, written while I was doing my geometry homework. Love it, hate it, don't care, let me know in a review! I love them!  
Maddy


	24. Green Day

A/N: I still won't be updating much, the wrist is worse than I thought, but I'm allowed to take the cast of sometimes, I expect the next update to be on Monday. Thanks for all your reviews! Lovelovelove!

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Warrick stepped off the bus feeling very foolish. He had green cordorouy pants on, a green flannel shirt over a green t-shirt, and green shoes. To top it off, he'd even gotten green frames for his glasses with a little spare money. As he walked across the street towards the school, he attracted weird looks from all of his peers.

He was quick to sit down in homeroom, where everyone but Jim had arrived. Greg was showing Sara the edge of his green boxers, and Sara was in a charming plaid green skirt. Her legs were too bony, and she'd tried to hide this with green knee-socks and green tennis shoes. She was wearing a silk green blouse, a little green plaid vest over it. She'd dyed her hair green for the occasion, and had adorned her face with some green eyeshadow and copious amounts of green lipstick.

Catherine was in a similar outfit, wearing the t-shirt she'd borrowed from Sara, and a long, mossy green gypsy skirt. She was wearing green hoop earings, heels, and make-up. Her hair was also green, though a much lighter shade than Sara's dark green locks. Gil was looking at her, mystified, then back at himself in dark green slacks and a plain green shirt.

Jim walked into the classroom, took one look at the mass of green-clad people who had replaced his friends, and looked ready to bolt for the door. He was wearing black pants and shoes with a grey t-shirt. Not a speck of green could be found on his person, and that included everything you couldn't see at a glance.

"Get him!" Catherine yelled, pouncing on Jim and pinching him mercilessly. Everyone was on the floor momentarily, trying to get at Jim. Sara wished Natasha could be there, pinching him with them. She was sure that Tash would appriciate it a lot more than herself, Catherine, or Mia would.

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine was reading from a large book of Walt Whitman poems. She had discovered a particularly funny free verse called "Ode to the Common Prostitute" and she was trying desparately to keep in her giggles. Gil looked over at her, wondering what she seemed so amused about. He watched the expression of mirth on her face fade as the teacher barked her name.

"Catherine Willows! I think you need to sit out in the hall of a little while!" Every word the old man said sounded like he was speaking to a bunch of new recruits at boot camp instead of a few poetry students in an ordinary Las Vegas high school. Catherine sighed, standing up and walking to the door, slamming it behind her, the gypsy skirt swirling around her ankles.

Gil watched her go, feeling a little abandoned. "Why didn't she fight back?" he thought, still staring at the door as if she'd come bursting back through it at any moment. "I don't need her, you know," he said pleadingly in his mind. "She's just my friend. Nothing more. I had a little crush on her at the dance, that's all."

He stared at the blank piece of notebook paper in front of him, the one that he was supposed to have written an ode on. He looked over at Catherine's paper. It wasn't exactly an ode, more of a lyrical poem. It told the story of a girl who had a terrible childhood, a misunderstood adolesence, and was seeking solace in a boy who didn't know she existed. Somehow, looking at her poem, Gil felt as if he'd spied on a very personal part of her life. Like he'd walked in while she was changing and caught her with no clothes on. He felt sort of dirty, and he looked away quickly.

Once he had gotten the poem out of his range of vision, he felt as if he knew everything there is to know it life. He realized he had no romantic feelings for Catherine, no matter how stunning she looked in that green outfit, or how he was filled with jealousy when he thought of her at the theater on Saturday nights. He realized he could think of her face without wanting to kiss her fears away, that they were just friends.

Outside the door, Catherine was thinking, as well. "God, why can't he be mine? I want him to hold me tight, to love me back..." Her thoughts trailed into nothingness, just an image of her beloved, the one who was sitting on the other side of the door, so close to her, but so far from her grasp.

She wondered why he'd come so close to kissing her at the dance, why he'd gotten her hopes up. "Maybe he loves me, too." She allowed herself to imagine the way he would say the three fabled words, drawing her into his arms and kissing her face, her neck, her lips. Catherine slipped into a daydream, closing her eyes and hearing Gil's voice in her ears, not knowing that he was, at the same time, drawing the conclusion that he would never fall in love with her.

Presently, the military teacher opened the door and motioned Catherine back inside, glancing down the front of her shirt as she walked by. She glared at him, then sat back down next to Gil, not noticing that her poem had moved from it's original position. It was facedown on the table, now.

She looked over at the boy she loved so much, his green clothes, his dry sense of humor, the perfect way in which he let his words spill onto the page, flowing from his pencil like water out of a glass. She wished she could read his poem, hoping against hope that it was about her, and that he truly loved her back.

XoXoXoXoX

The gang was occupying the usual table in the cafeteria, their number had grown so much, however, that it was getting a little crowded. No one minded, however, because they were such good friends. Jim was walking over, he'd been held late in his last class, Ceremonial Art. When he was halfway between the doors and the table, one of the girls got up and began to move toward him.

Natasha finally reached Jim, pinching his arm lightly as she got closer. He turned to face her. Leaning up, she planted a kiss on his cheek, leaving the imprint of her lips in green lipstick. "Now you're wearing green," she said simply.

As she walked away, swinging her hips a little, Jim touched the place where she'd kissed him. Sara, who was closest to her, was the only person who heard her whisper "Sie sind mit einem frechen Körper heiß." Sara wasn't quite sure what it meant, but something about the look on Natasha's face suggested it was less than school appropriate.

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A/N: That's all! Sorry I can't update very much, my wrist hurts like a bitch! Anyway, thanks again for all your nice reviews, I can't wait til I can write every day again! Kisses!  
Maddy


	25. Semester Tests

A/N: Your reviews were all so wonderful! I love you guys! I'll reply some stuff in the next chapter, now that I can write more often. I'm so sorry it took so long to get this up, I was in recovery for my wrist. Enjoy the chapter!

XoXoXoXoX

Nick sighed and looked at the clock. He'd been done with his semester test for half of first period, and he'd spent the rest of the time dreaming up ways to win Sara's heart. So far, he'd gone through love letter, singing love songs outside her window, and just asking her to go somewhere, get out of the world and go to a movie or get something to eat.

When the bell finally rang, he shoved his test paper at Mr. Lector, dashing out of the room and taking the steps to the gym two at a time.

When he'd found his gym clothes and put them on, he stood in line next to Sara and rested an arm casually against the wall behind her without her knowledge. "I wish she knew how I felt…" His mind desperately tried to make his mouth form the words, those few simple combinations of letters that could tell her how he felt.

His thoughts were interrupted when Sara poked him in the side, telling him that they were going to run some laps. "There's no semester test for gym, so we're just having a normal day. It's nice to have a little break from all that crap, right? I think I did terrible on my French exam."

"I'm sure you did great, Sara," Nick reassured her. "You're too smart to get bad scores on a test."

Sara blushed a little at his words, wondering what else he thought of her, whether she was pretty or ugly or nice or jaded. She stared off into space and was only stopped from running straight into a wall by Nick grabbing her arm and pulling her back to run next to him.

"Thanks," she said breathlessly, staring up into his concerned face. "I guess I just spaced for a minute."

"You sure you're okay?" he asked, worry etched all over his features.

"Yeah, guess the tests are getting to me."

XoXoXoXoX

"A ballad is…" Catherine squinted down at her paper, willing the words to come. Gil was leaning back in his chair, the test paper on his desk turned over, signifying that he was done with the poetry semester exam.

Catherine erased a few words and began again. "A ballad is a poem written to the tune of a popular song. It has iambic pentameter and often tells a story. Traditionally, ballads have stanzas with four lines each; however, there is an adaptation with six lines in a stanza." Satisfied with her answer, Catherine moved on to the next question, regarding Cinquain poems.

Gil was watching Catherine while she struggled with the test, noting her neat handwriting that became sloppy when she got excited about a question. His eyes traveled up and down the bumps in her sentences, reading her perfectly worded answers to questions that would have no relevance to her later in life.

Catherine sighed heavily and flipped her paper, glancing up at her comrade. He looked away, but not quickly enough. "What am I doing?" Gil Grissom, for once in his life, was confused by his own actions. "I have no feelings for her besides friendly affection. She's one of my friends, it's only natural for me to sit next to her and think about her sometimes…"

Catherine had caught Gil openly staring at her. She mentally congratulated herself and amused herself by wondering what he was thinking about. "I wish I had a flower, I would pick the petals off to see if he loves me…" She drew on a piece of paper, a small sketch of herself picking the petals off of a daisy. "If I had a crystal ball, I would know how he feels." She drew a crystal ball, herself seated behind it, and a beating heart inside. She drew as the class went on, illustrating how she would find out his feelings, wondering if she would ever know.

XoXoXoXoX

Sara sidled into Ancient Cultures, puzzling over the odd thoughts she'd had about Nick during gym class. When she saw that Greg was already seated, she hurried over to pull up a chair at the two-person desk before anyone else could.

"Hey, Greg!" she said, noticing the pensive look her friend was wearing and the crisp, white piece of paper held in his hands. She leaned over his shoulder and read the black print.

"You're captain of the chess club?" she asked incredulously. Greg looked over at her and nodded. "Awesome!" Sara held up a hand and received a high five, not knowing quite how relieved Greg was at her excitement. He'd been a little reluctant to take the post, not knowing if he'd be able to see her outside of school as much, but her approval, her enthusiasm, seemed to make, up for it completely.

Mr. De la Cruz had begun to pace back and forth at the front of the room, lecturing the class about proper test-taking techniques. Greg and Sara rolled their eyes at one another, praying that they'd be done with the test soon and could pass notes for most of the somewhat useless class.

When they'd both finished their tests, Sara tore a piece of notebook paper out and asked Greg his middle name. His reply caused her to have a giggle fit, her face turning red as she covered her mouth in a futile attempt to keep in her laughter.

"Hojem!" she wrote in block letters. "What the hell kind of name is that?"

"It's Scandinavian," Greg wrote back, a blush creeping up his neck.

In this way, they continued for the rest of class. Sara found herself looking at her companion more than his notes, and she wondered what was causing the sudden change in her attitude towards her two best friends.

XoXoXoXoX

"So…Warrick…" Natasha looked over at her math partner. They were in fourth period, right before lunch, and they had both finished the test already. "What's the deal with you and Mia? Still together? Still happy?"

Warrick nodded, embarrassed. "She's acting a little distant lately, and I can't help but think Archie doesn't approve of us…"

In her mind, Natasha was saying "Duh!" as loudly as she could, but in reality she just smiled. She opened her mouth to ask another question, but Warrick cut her off, trying to spare himself any more shame.

"What about you and Jim? Has he asked you out formally yet?" Warrick grinned at the uncomfortable look on Natasha's face.

"Shut up, you," she said, turning to her test paper and double-checking every step of every problem.

"You brought it on yourself, you know," Warrick thought mischievously.

XoXoXoXoX

"Coffee shop after school?" Catherine asked the group at large. They were crowded around the usual table in the cafeteria.

There was a general sign of assent from the nine other scholars, all except Greg. "I can't make it, but tomorrow I'll go," he said, regret in his voice.

"Why not, Greggo?" Archie asked. "You love coffee!"

"What an amazing revelation," Greg said sarcastically. "I'm busy, that's all."

No one questioned any further, and only Sara knew the reason for his absence from anything after school on Wednesdays. She smiled a secret smile to herself, hidden from everyone else, and set off for her first class (and first test) after lunch.

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Okay, everyone! I hope you all like this chapter, I'm going to try to update daily again, but my school work is building up from not being able to do it in class for so long. Lucky for me, my wrist is good as new and I can type whenever I want! I'm going to take Thursdays off, though, for CSI. Reviews are appreciated; next chapter will be about Spring Break!

Maddy


	26. Spite

A/N: So, I know I promised review answers today, but I can't do them. Instead, I'd like to make a public apology to my dear friend, Nikki. I asked her for help on a chapter of my fanfiction, and I had these really weird and complex rules to follow. So when she gave me the chapter she'd written I kind of criticized it, and we got in a fight. This is my shameless confession. I'm incredibly sorry, Nikki, and I hope that we can just put this in the past and get on with our lives, because a good friendship is way too important to lose over something as dumb as this.

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Catherine jumped as the bell sounded. It was the last day of school before Spring Break, a Friday in mid-April. They were all in homeroom, which had been last period that day. She stood quickly, running pell-mell with the rest of the group down over the blacktop and into the street, collapsing in a giggling heap of arms and legs on the lawn of an old lady who lived across from the school.

Sara was the first to disentangle herself, mostly from Greg's and Nick's arms, which had been wrapped around her waist. She stood up and addressed the group at large. "How are we going to celebrate our new-found freedom?" she asked.

To everyone's surprise, it was Jim who spoke up. "Let's get ice cream. On me."

Indeed, it was the perfect day for ice cream. A cool breeze fiddled with Sara's hair as she waiting for the rest of her friends to get up. Birds were singing, the sun was shining, and a few early flowers had burst into full bloom already. Seasonal tourists had already started flocking to Vegas's many casinos, taking pictures on street corners with guys dressed like Elvis and losing half their money in one night at the blackjack table.

As they walked along, no one spoke. They were migrating to an old-fashioned ice cream shop about ten blocks from McKinley high, a fifties-style diner with everything except the poodle skirts. As Jim walked, he thought about Natasha. Neither she, nor Archie and Mia were with the group, as they'd left straight after homeroom. "I hope she doesn't look for me," he thought worriedly. "I'll make it up to her later. We have all week to hang out, have fun, go see movies..."

His thoughts were interrupted by Catherine pushing open the door. Bells that hung on the inside of the door jangled at the gust of wind from outside, and he walked in after the rest of the group, choosing a seat at a booth in the back corner.

Once they had all ordered and gotten their various ice creams, Greg struck up a conversation. "Name everything you think of when you hear the word flannel."

Catherine was first to speak. "Fire, snow, grunge music, and lumberjacks," she said promptly, grinning proudly at her list of things.

Gil smiled at her. She was so spontaneous, that's what he loved about her. "No," he corrected himself. "I don't love it. I find it interesting. We're still just friends no matter how attractive she is, how adorable she looks when she's thinking, how her poems make me want to hold her tight and block out the world, reassure her..." Gil blushed and busied himself by thinking of flannel-y things.

"Harry Potter, trips to the hospital, and getting up at four in the morning to watch the sunrise," he blurted out.

After everyone had shared their increasingly radical things that flannel reminded them of, Jim got up to pay the bill. "Here," Catherine said, thrusting a crumpled five dollar bill at him. Bits of pocket lint were stuck all over it. He took it delicately and went up to pay.

XoXoXoXoX

After the group had disbanded on the street, Greg and Nick were walking together alone. Their houses were relatively close to one another, so they often found themselves walking home together.

About fifteen blocks from Nick's house, Greg started a conversation. "I wrote Sara this love letter, but I didn't have the balls to give it to her. Now I can't find it, which I guess is an omen or something."

Nick tried to look politely puzzled, but failed miserably. Greg rolled his eyes. "I know that you know that we both like Sara. We should just get that out in the open before we die of the tension."

Nick sighed. "You're probably right. We can't tell her, though." Greg shook his head vehemently.

"Of course not," he said. "I thought that was a given."

They walked a little in silence, until Greg spoke again. "I just told you because I think I've...Fallen for her. All the way, you know?"

Nick nodded. "Whatever you're feeling, it can't compare to me. Every time I see her I want to scream at the top of my lungs how much I love her. I want to write her poetry and throw waffles at her window late at night so she's the last thing I see before I sleep."

Greg's ears had turned a faint shade of pink. "What, you think just because I don't want to throw _waffles_ at her window means I don't love her as much as you do. What's wrong with you?" Greg didn't fully expect an answer, but he got one anyway.

Nick's fist collided with the side of Greg's jaw, almost making him fall. He regained his balance and threw a fist into Nick's face. Almost immediately a yellowish purple bruise began to form around Nick's left eye. Ignoring it, he punched greg hard in the stomach and ran the rest of the way home, leaving his once best friend lying on the sidewalk, only mostly conscious, spitting blood out when he tasted it, coppery and metallic, in his mouth.

Nick slammed the door to his bedroom and turned the lock. He leaned against the door and slid down, sitting against it, his barrier to keep out the rest of the world. So many emotions coursed through his veins, crowding each other, bursting to get out, to take over his mind and get control over his descisions.

Pity, for himself. Love, for Sara. Spite against Greg. Sadness at losing his best friend. His mind was bursting with confusion, and he wondered what he could do to fix things. Nothing would be the same with Greg. He almost considered going back to help his fallen friend, to take him home and apologize, to forget about the whole thing.

"There's no way that'll ever happen," Nick said aloud. Unlocking his door, he made his way down the hall and knocked calmly on his sister, Danielle's door.

"Hey, Nicky, what's up?" she asked, turning off the loud sound of Cheap Trick when she saw he brother's face. "What happened to you? You got a pretty bad shiner shaping up. Good thing it's Spring Break. Now tell me what happened."

Nick slumped down on the floor, shutting the door as he did so. "I got in a fight."

"Well I can see that," Danielle said sarcastically. "I mean, what was it about?"

"Sara..." Nick said simply. Around the time of the Sleepy Hollow production, Nick had confided in his older sister about his feelings for Sara, and she'd provided good advice then, too. "Greg finally out and said that he liked her, and we got into this argument and I hit him. Then I left him on the sidewalk, I don't know if he's conscious."

"Wait here," she said quickly, pulling on a pair of beat-up, blue sneakers and hurrying out of the room.

She returned half an hour later, and found Nick in the same position as when she'd left. "I went to see him. He took a hell of a fall, but he'll be fine. He was still on the sidewalk, though. I think you got out better with your black eye."

Nick nodded thoughtfully. He looked up, concentrating on his sister. "What do I do? How am I going to fix things with him and still be able to try to get Sara?"  
"Don't refer to her as an object, dear brother," Danielle said. "You want to win her over, but you also want to repair your friendship with Greg. It's an interesting dilemma, and I can only tell you this. Let me sleep on it, I'll get back to you."

In spite of himself, Nick smiled and rolled his eyes. "Alright. Thanks."

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: There. My fight chapter. I'll try to post more regularly but I'm taking tomorrow off. I'll be having a TON of homework. Literally. Like two-thousand pounds or whatever. So review me and I'll be happy.

Maddy


	27. Getting Some and Getting Back

"Tash, I hate roller coasters," Jim complained as the safety bar lowered.

"That's not a problem, this isn't a roller coaster. It's a thrill ride." Natasha grinned at the sour look Jim gave her. It was soon wiped off his face and replaced by something akin to fear as the 'thrill ride' came to life. After what seemed like years, the two teenagers stumbled out onto the loading platform. Even Natasha seemed shaken.

"Let's go on a...tamer one this time," she suggested. "How about the ferris wheel?"

Jim nodded. It was the perfect time to go on the ferris wheel, the sun was just beginning to set behind the Las Vegas skyline, and it made for a spectacular light show in the sky.

Natasha looked critically at her watch. "I should be going right now, but I think I can make it home before seven if I run home right after the ferris wheel is done. So we'll have to say our goodbyes on it. Okay?" She didn't wait for Jim to answer, just dragged him over to the ticket man, who settled them comfortably, side by side, on one of the seats. He pushed the safety bar down over their waists and continued selling tickets.

In moments, the ferris wheel began to move, and both kids shivered from the cool breeze and the quickly heightening altitude. Natasha's breath was taken away by the fabulous colors streaking across the Nevada sky. She grabbed Jim's hand and squeezed it. They reached the crest of the ferris wheel's arc, staring across at the sunset, then back into each other's eyes. With his free hand, Jim cupped Natasha's face and drew it closer to his own. The distance between them closed in seconds. Jim kissed Natasha tenderly, letting his hand fall from where it was resting on her cheek and dropping it around her waist, pulling her closer to him, deepening the kiss. To his surprise, Natasha pulled away and, true to word, ran home as soon as the safety bar was up and she was free of the seat, leaving Jim, forlorn and disappointed, in her wake.

Natasha ran, taking a shortcut through a park. She fell down on a bench and began to cry bitter tears of disappointment. She was angry at herself for leaving Jim. She felt heartless, cruel, and...tantalizing. She let her tears fall, soaking her t-shirt, then walked the rest of the way home, not caring that her mom was angry at her lateness, not caring that she'd begun to sniffle from being in the cold dusk air with a wet shirt, just wanting to crawl under the blankets on her bed and forget about love, life, laughter, everything.

She put on her Travis Tritt cd, letting the music wash over her, lull her into a chaotic calm, a stormy sea of indifference. She sang along, her voice breaking on and off with sobs, her shoulders shaking. "I can't hide the way I feel about you anymore, I can't hold the hurt inside, keep the pain out of my eyes anymore." After the first two lines she gave up, turning her face into the giant pink pillow at the head of her bed. She let the tears soak in, burying her face into the bright material, pulling the blanket up over her head as she did so.

"I've got to take the chance or let it pass by," she said, her voice cracking. The words coming from her stereo, the soothing voice, staunched the flood of tears. Natasha rested her head back on the pillow and fell into an uneasy sleep, dreaming about the choices she would make and the things she had to face.

When she woke up, she pulled her phone out of the cradle. With one finger, she punched in Jim's number. When she heard his voice pick up, she didn't notice just how melancholy he sounded, how his voice seemed to depict that of a puppet, one forced to answer phones, to talk to people when he was just too broken. "Jim I can't do this, I'm sorry. I'm just not ready and I want to be with you but I can't." She didn't wait for an answer, didn't leave a name, just slammed the phone back down and turned over, letting the shores of sleep draw her back into their misty depths, finally free from the world.

XoXoXoXoX

Nick heard a knock at his door. He mumbled a quick, inaudible greeting, not turning away from the book he was reading. He looked up, however, when he realized just who it was. Danielle had stepped gracefully through the door.

"Well, dear brother, I've come up with a plan." Her voice was bouncy, despite the graveness of the situation she was speaking of. "Here's what you have to do..."

Nick listened intently. When she finished, he said plainly, "That's not my opinion. Are you proposing that I'm supposed to lie?"

"For our purposes, yes, I'd say that's exactly what I'm proposing. But that's just me. You can decide if you want to do it, only the most sure-fire way to repair your friendship and, ultimately, improve your chances of winning Sara's affection."

"Well, when you put it that way," Nick said jokingly. "On one condition. You have to help me more. You know I'm no good at that kind of thing, Danielle. Will you?"

She nodded, flipping her long brown hair back out of her eyes. Stepping gingerly over the threshold of the room, where she had been standing casually, she came to sit down on the bed. "I'll dictate and you can write it down. I'm sure that'll help you. Now grab that paper and we'll get started on this diabolical plan, what say you?"

Nick smiled at his sister's eccentric way of talking, grabbing the paper and searching around his normally neat room for a pen. When he'd found one, he sat back down and looked expectantly at his older sister.

"All right, here we go. Make sure you get all of this, okay, Nicky?"

XoXoXoXoX

The closet door banged open and Catherine began rumaging through it, searching for the shirt Sara had lent her. "I've had it for way too long, now where can it have gone?" She moved aside a few articles of clothing hanging, rumpled, on their hangers. She stepped back when she saw the dress she'd worn to the dance, still looking as fresh and beautiful as when she'd bought it. Disregarding her search for the shirt entirely, she took the dress off it's hanger and sat on the bed with it in her lap.

Looking closely at the top edge, she could faintly see where her tears had dampened the fabric. Without thinking, she stripped out of her jeans and t-shirt and slipped the dress on, letting it hug her curves. She leaned back against her wall, trying to imagine exactly what had happened before the fight. She had almost forgotten the fight. When Catherine thought about it, she was fuming.

She pulled on her street clothes and slammed the front door behind her, walking the three blocks to the boy's house. She'd been over there once, when she was little, and she remembered exactly where he lived. Knocking on the door, she was met by his mother. "Is Bobby available? I'd like to speak to him, if it's possible."

Bobby's mom yelled into the house for him to come out, and the boy was surprised to see Catherine standing on his doorstep. "Do you want to walk with me?" she asked sweetly.

It was almost insulting how quickly he bolted out of the house and snaked his arm around her waist. She tried not to cringe at his sweaty hand resting on her hip, instead starting a meaningless conversation which he was using to look casually down the front of her shirt.

"Do you remember at the dance? When I was with that guy and you beat him up?" she asked apbruptly.

"Yeah, I got him good," Bobby said, laughing stupidly.

"Yeah," Catherine said, turning and slapping him full across the face. "I think it's really hot when you beat the shit out of innocent guys who've never bothered you. And it's great to call dibs on girls, too." She punched him hard in the stomach, slapping him again when he bent, his eyes watering. "So keep it up. I'm sure tons of girls will be all over you." Her voice was dangerous, deadly, dripping with sarcasm. She slapped him one more time for good measure and walked away, swinging her hips.


	28. Propositions pt 1

A/N: Okay so this chapter is really short but I think it has some good stuff in it. Thanks to the reviewers, I made up with Nikki and all is well. Sorry about Nick being so mean to Greg, I didn't think Greggo was the type to hit people that much so I made Nick the more aggressive one. I wasn't going to include it but it seemed necessary, sorry if it caused any grief. Anyway, there's going to be one more Spring Break chap after this, then back to school. No post tomorrow, though. Reviews are appriciated!

XoXoXoXoX

Greg sat up in bed after hearing a knock on his door. His mother walked in. "You have a letter, Hon," she said. After seeing the state her youngest son had come home in, she was anxious about the kind of company he was keeping.

Greg opened the envelope and took out a yellow piece of paper with green lines. He recognized Nick's neat handwriting at once.

_Greg,_

_In light of our recent situation, I have a proposition. You know that if we, Sara's two best friends, fight, she's going to stop hanging out with us all together. That's something neither of us wants. The only way we can stay near her is to get along. Then we'll let her decide, give her a chance to fall in love. It could be you, me, or someone else entirely. So that's what I had in mind. We have to be friends again, even if that isn't easy. We have to do it for Sara's sake._

_-Nick_

After reading the letter twice, Greg stuck it back in the envelope. He reached for the phone and dialed Nick's number.

"Hello?" Nick answered the phone.

"Nick, it's Greg. I got your letter and I have to say, you're right." Greg's voice almost held a hint of regret when he said this.

"Did I hurt you the other day?" Nick asked, genuinely concerned but trying to hide it.

"I guess. My mom thinks the mafia's after me." Greg snorted. "What about you?"

"I have a black eye shaping up, but other than that I'm okay."

After a few moments of meaningless conversation, they said goodbyes and hung up. In a way, Greg was relieved. Nick was one of his best friends, and there was an empty space that Sara, the girl he loved, couldn't fill. He needed a best friend that he wasn't attracted to, just to tough out the bad times.

XoXoXoXoX

Sara walked sedately into the living room of her house. She had come to the conclusion, in the shower that morning, that she wanted her foster family to be more like a real family, and she decided to do something to make it happen.

"Mrs. Peterson?" she asked.

"What is it, Sara?" her foster mother replied, looking up from the pair of jeans she was in the process of mending.

"I'm worried about my best friends. They seem to not like each other."

"Sit down, tell me about it," Mrs. Peterson said, putting down the sewing and looking intently at her foster daughter.

"Well, my two best friends are Nick and Greg. The three of us used to get along great, and they still act fine when they're with me, but when we all hang out there's this tension between them that I just, like, can't even begin to comprehend. It's like you can feel it on your shoulders."

"Sara, you have to remember one thing. These are testosterone-fueled boys you're hanging out with. They get in fights. I bet by the end of Spring Break they'll be all resolved, they just need time without each other to get over it." Mrs. Peterson was reassuring, everything a surrogate mother should be.

"Thanks…" Sara paused. "Thanks, Mom."

XoXoXoXoX

"What am I doing with my life?" This was the question Gil asked himself as he reclined in the large chair in one corner of his room, a book in his hands. He wasn't really reading, but it felt pointless to sit in the chair without a book to read. Like he would just tumble into the nothingness the chair provided.

He wanted to answer himself, but couldn't. "I know I don't like Catherine anymore. I had a crush on her. Crushes don't last, and I know she never liked me. She's way too pretty, kind, too compassionate, too…everything." Gil sighed. He wondered why there wasn't a course he could take, like shop or band, where he would just learn what went through girls' minds; how to read the signals.

He stared around his room, the bookshelves that covered one wall, the poster he'd gotten from an entomology convention, the plain white walls. He'd considered painting them, once, green or blue, but abandoned the idea quickly. He stood up, dropping the book on the chair behind him, and walked out the door.

"Can I help you?" A dark-haired boy with square glasses was standing in front of the coroner's office, staring up at the coroner with startling blue eyes.

"I've come to apply for an internship."

The coroner, Mr. Murphy, blinked. Never, in his fifteen years working there, had someone so young come to apply for an internship. Normally, the youth were turned off the dead bodies. But this young man seemed more enthusiastic, eager, almost, to work with the cadavers.

"All right, kid, let me get you an application." Mr. Murphy sauntered over to his desk, sifting through the piles of paper and finally coming up with one.

"Here you are," he said, handing Gil the page of print.

"Thank you, sir. It was nice to meet you." Gil hurried out of the office and back to the safety of his home, wondering what had brought him there in the first place.


	29. Propositions pt 2

A/N: Okay, I think this is a good chapter. A lot of things are resolved, but it opens up options for other things. Just as a little thing, this is the last day of spring break. Easter, as you may like to call it. So yeah, reviews are great, see you in the next chapter tomorrow (I hope)!

Jim picked up a piece of gravel, weighing it expertly in one hand before tossing it up to Natasha's closed window. He repeated the process a few times until Natasha heard and threw up the sash, looking angrily down. Her expression softened, however, when she saw Jim looking nervous and holding a radio in one hand.

"Natasha…" he started. "Please listen. I know this is really cliché and all, but this song expresses everything I want to say to you."

He set the radio down and stuck a tape into the tape-deck, fumbling a little. He cranked the volume and picked the entire stereo up, holding it over his head as a song began to play.

"Lady," he said over the music. "When I'm with you, I'm smiling." His cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. "Love shines in your eyes."

A small smile crept up Natasha's face. "I don't know why, but I want to jump out this window and into his arms," she thought. She remembered the night on the ferris wheel, their first and only kiss, and she balked a little.

"Sparkly, clear and lovely, you're my lady." Jim's voice had gained confidence and he had a goofy grin plastered on his face.

"Jim Brass, you are the most romantic boy I've ever met!" Natasha's voice was high and clear from the window. She was wearing a revealing, pink, semi-transparent slip to bed, and Jim could almost see through it as she leaned out the window into the moonlight. It was hard to keep the dirtier of his thoughts from drifting across his mind, but somehow he managed it. "I think I love you, but I can't do this. I'm so sorry." Her smile had faded, all but disappeared, and there were sparkling tears on the tips of her eyelashes. She put on a brave smile, almost a smirk, as the tears spilled over.

"You're an excellent fellow, Jim, you know that?" she said as she slammed the window shut, dimming the lights in her room and allowing the torrent of emotion to spill from her eyes. She walked out of the room, blinded by the waterfalls of salty tears running down her cheeks, over her lips, off her chin, staining the silky, pink negligee.

She ran into the guest bedroom, the one with a view over the city to the Strip, gleaming bright and cheerful over the rooftops of the monotonous suburbia.

Natasha buried her face in the pillow, pulling the blankets up over her head and willing the memory of Jim's hurt expression to leave her mind. It was no use. The way he had looked, pathetic, puppy-dog look in his eyes, would not let her be. It gnawed at her conscience, and a small voice, the voice of guilt, was reprimanding her. "Why are you running from what you know you want?" it said reproachfully. "What makes you hide from the boy you are so clearly in love with? I'm ashamed of you." Its remarks stung Natasha, but she pressed her face into the pillow and fell into a restless sleep.

XoXoXoXoX

Nick, Sara, and Greg sat at a small table in a local café around a small, round table. They were sipping iced lattes, staring at each other. Sara had been surprised to find that the tension that had once weighed so heavily had been lifted. "I wonder what did it," she thought as she looked at them inconspicuously, not wanting them to see. "Whoever it was, they must be a genius."

The three of them went to the amusement park, riding roller coasters and eating cotton candy. After paying for three large, pink balls of spun sugar, the three sat down to eat them.

Sara looked comically over at her male companions, a large piece of fluffy candy stuck to her nose. Nick leaned over and shivers ran up his spine at the close proximity of his face to Sara's. He snapped his mouth shut, barely missing her skin, and grinned, holding the piece of cotton candy in his teeth.

Greg scowled. Sara was laughing, poking Nick and trying to get her cotton candy back from him. Nick swallowed and Sara slapped on an identical scowl to Greg's, crossing her arms and pouting until Nick apologized and let her have a bite of his own.

"I have an idea," Greg said brightly. "Let's go on the biggest roller coaster here!"

Sara jumped up and the two of them ran out of the midway and towards the large, sweeping roller coaster that warped the skyline and wound around the entire park, bearing groups of screaming teenagers.

Soon they were all settled into one car, Sara in the middle, her knuckles white from holding the safety bar. Her scream rose above everyone else's, high and squeaky from the exhilaration of the coaster. "You know, I should suggest this to Catherine and Gil," she thought. "I bet Gil would love this."

XoXoXoXoX

Gil snapped on a pair of latex gloves. He liked the feeling of the gloves against his hands, his fingers holding the scalpel like a pencil, rather amateur. He was staring squeamishly down at the dead dog on the cold, steel table.

It was his first day at the coroner's office, about 8 pm. He'd called Jim earlier that day to tell him about his new job, only to find that later that night he would be confessing his love to Natasha.

Gil sighed down at the dog and began the Y incision, all the while wondering when romance would enter his life. He reflected on Catherine and her scene at the dance, wondering if that counted as romance. "One-sided romance," he thought, discouraged. A few moments later his mind was back on Jim.

"Last year, the two of us were the least popular guys in school. We weren't best friends; we were each other's only friends. We gravitated together, like marbled in a non-stick pan. To avoid complete embarrassment, alienation from our piers, we banded together and formed our own sociality. So why is he suddenly Mr. Popular?"

Sighing again, Gil looked down at the dog. "I know I can get a girl. And I know I like Catherine. So she's the one I want. No more lies to myself. I'm going to tell her one of these days."


	30. The Taste of Bile

A/N: Okay, this chapter is sort of a turning point for some people. Anyway, I just got this random flash of inspirado, so here's what came out of it. Tell me what you think in a review!

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine noticed Natasha wasn't in class the next day. They shared Math class, third period, and she began to worry. Gil had told her in poetry that Jim had confessed his love to her the previous night. Catherine decided, when she saw that Natasha was absent, to check on her later that afternoon. Greg was also aware of her absence, she was in Social Studies with him, and he and Catherine made plans to go together with Sara after school.

As he walked into his advanced chem class, the last period before break when he would talk with Catherine, Greg took a seat in the far corner, the desk next to it was soon filled by Jim. Greg glanced over, wondering just what had gone on the with Natasha, and if Jim was at the root of the problem.

"Natasha's sick today, or something," he said nonchalantly, gauging Jim's reaction.

Jim gave him an odd look. "I haven't the faintest idea why," he said, his voice a bit flightier than usual. His serious demeanor had been dropped, replaced by the whimsical one of a boy who's had his heart broken and is trying to carry on.

Greg watched through the rest of the class, wondering just what had happened to shake his comrade so badly. He didn't press the matter, however, knowing Catherine would hold an answer. Cat was the biggest gossip in the group.

XoXoXoXoX

In the girls bathroom, Sara stood up. She wiped the vomit from her lips with the edge of her sleeve, flushing the toilet and unlocking the stall. As she washed her hands, she splashed some of the icy water on her face, rubbing it harshly with a paper towel. It was her ritual, done almost every day during morning break. Her hands shook as she turned off the tap and left the room, her face ghostly pale.

Walking to Ancient Cultures, she found Greg waiting for her at their usual desk. He was grinning, but his smile faded when he saw Sara. She was looking too pale, the freckles sprinkled across her nose stood out more than usual, and her brown eyes seemed bigger, more vulnerable in her thin face.

"Are you sick?" he asked anxiously, feeling her forhead and cheeks.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she answered. "I'm just a little tired, that's all."

"Okay," he said, still slightly worried. He wondered if her foster family was treating her all right.

Sara glanced over, seeing the skeptical look in his eyes, and closed her eyes, trying to calm herself down. In the middle of class she raised her hand. "Mr. De la Cruz?" she asked. "May I go to the bathroom?"

Mr. De la Cruz raised his eyebrows, not used to having his long lectures interrupted. "Go ahead, Sidle," he checked his attendance sheet for her name and mispronounced it when he said it. "But hurry back, this is an important lesson."

Sara walked quickly out of the room, wondering at the same time how there could ever be an important Ancient Cultures lesson. She leaned against a wall, down the hall from her classroom, and looked at herself.

She pinched the skin on her stomach, ignoring the way her ribs were clearly visable. "God, I'm so fat," she thought. "Look at this. Why can't i be normal? Why can't I look like Cat and Mia and Tash?" She gazed down at the skin between her fingers, pulling at it. It was really getting to her, this skin. She felt fat, flabby, disgusting. She looked down farther at her legs, so skinny that her kneecaps stuck out sharply and her calves were almost completely straight on the bone. Grotesque in her skinniness, though fat in her own mind. Gil would have laughed at the irony, despite the circumstances.

When she reached the door to the classroom, Sara sucked in her stomach. "I don't want anyone to see how fat I am..." Her ribs poked out even more, and she pulled the hoody from around her waist over her head, hoping it would hide her body.

XoXoXoXoX

Greg, Catherine and sara walked cheerfully to Natasha's house, each harboring his or her own worries. Catherine was the one that spoke when they reached the small house. "Here we are," she said, mentally preparing herself for the worst. She reached out and jabbed the doorbell roughly with one finger.

"Is Tasha there?" Sara asked politely when Mrs. Haan opened the door.

A few moments later, they were in Natasha's room watching her cough into a piece of tissue. "I hate it," she croaked. Her voice had become a hoarse whisper, and she had to stop her speach every few moments to cough violently, bile spilling in a thin string from her mouth, her eyes were red and swollen, her temperature burned at 100.2 according to the thermometer sticking out of the corner of her mouth.

"I broke a window slamming it and got a chest cold last night," she said weakly. "I'm really tired, but it was so nice of you guys to come. Where's Jim, though?"

Cat froze, knowing this question was dangerous to answer. "He had to go home, but he hopes you get better." She was originally going to say 'he sends his love', but she still didn't know what was going on in Tasha and Jim's relationship.

"What's happening with you and Jim, anyway?" Greg asked casually. "He wouldn't say a word about it today."

"Well, promise you won't tell him I said anything, but he came here last night and told me what he felt about me. That he loves me. But I wasn't ready, and I hurt him, and I slammed the window at him and cracked it, and that's how I got where I am now."

Her three friends slapped sympathetic looks on their faces, whispering assurances like "I know how you feel," or "I completely understand not being ready." Natasha cheered a little at her words.

"Thanks, guys. I think I'll go to sleep now, but I'll talk to you later."

XoXoXoXoX

Mia twined her arms around Warrick's neck. They were in front of her house after an after-school movie, and she was feeling intoxicated by his smile and his friendly touch. He had grown a little taller than her over the months, so she leaned up the tiniest bit when she gave him a goodnight kiss. "I love you, Warrick."

He pulled her a little closer and kissed her. "I love you, too." As he walked down the sidewalk, Mia looked after him. When he turned the corner and left her sight, she started up the walk to her front door.

"Do I still mean it when I say I love him?" she asked herself. It had become so routine, so monotonous, that she barely noticed when the words escaped her lips. It was habit. "I know I used to love him, he filled my world," she puzzled. "But why, suddenly, does it feel like I'm a living, breathing lie? I don't know how I feel right now."

She allowed herself to fall down on the couch, kicking off her shoes and pulling a quilt over herself. A single tear slid down over her nose, dripping onto the couch. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, sniffling a little. She wrapped her arms around herself, a feeble shield against the onslaught of pain the world was bringing, and sang to herself in a whisper.

"Dancing in the rain, so no one sees how hard I cry. Dancing to the same old tune, can't kill the pain, but I can try. Singing along to a familiar song, with words that never seem to rhyme, dancing in the rain to see if I can forget you this time."


	31. Sleep, Sports and S&M

A/N: Hey everyone! Welcome to chapter 32 of We Were Merely Freshman. As a short disclaimer, the poem Catherine reads is mine, it's a song from my band. If you want to use it or want the full lyrics, email me. Also, I've been getting like zero reviews, but since it's only been like 14 hours since my last post, I'll let you off the hook. Anyway, pleasepleaseplease review and I will love you forever! Thanks!

XoXoXoXoX

Catherine yawned. She opened her eyes and found an unfamiliar scene. Instead of her comfortable pillow, her head rested on a hard, wooden desk, one she recognized it immediately as the one from Poetry class. She could see the small drawings she and Gil had done together on one corner of the wood. "Gil!" she thought, turning her head to find not her giant Hello Kitty doll but Gil Grissom, smiling sarcastically down at her, the look in his eyes clearly stating that he knew she'd fallen asleep.

"Good morning, Sunshine," he said, grinning. Catherine's hair was rumpled, sticking up a little, and her cheek was pink from where it had been pressed against the desk. She blinked and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, looking to the head of the class for the hellish teacher that usually stood there. Surprisingly, no one was behind the desk. "He's off making photocopies of something. It's a good thing now was when you decided to end your little nap, or you would've been in some serious shit."

She took a few moments to compose herself, and had just pulled a compact out of her pocket to touch-up her eyeshadow when Mr. Absgarten walked in. He raised an eyebrow at Catherine, but didn't say anything. "Maybe he didn't know I fell asleep," Catherine said, doing a mental victory dance.

"Catherine Willows," he said gruffly, and Cath immediately stopped mind dancing, "Would you be so kind as to read your free verse poem aloud to the class?"

Toying for a moment with the idea of saying "No, sorry," Catherine stood up, grabbing the paper with the poem on it and taking it to the front of the class. She stood nervously, hands shaking, and began to read.

"You're holding on to me, making it so I can't breathe," she started. "You locked me in this cage, so when I sing, can you feel my pain, my rage? I'm breaking away, siezing the day, I'm gonna fly away on my broken wings. Now I'm letting go of all that I know, I'm gonna make a difference, I'm gonna sing." She took a deep, shaky breath and kept speaking. "You're squeezing me so tight, telling me it's gonna be all right. But I don't want your kind ways, I'm gonna fly, fly from these old days. I don't need you, I'm so sorry, I won't be your endless worry. I can't be your broken bird anymore."

She finished with confidence, sweeping an extravagant bow and tipped an invisible hat to her audience. She was met with loud applause, even kids she'd bullied in middle school were giving her a standing ovation. Mr. Absgarten smiled uncharacteristically. He'd know all along, since he accepted Catherine Willows in his class, she had the gift.

XoXoXoXoX

The large, red, rubber ball came hurtling toward Sara, smacking her hard in the arm with a resounding thwack. Arm stinging and eyes watering, she took her place on the bench.  
"Dodgeball has got to be the most pointless, idiotic sport ever dreamed up," she thought angrily. Her arm hurt like a bitch, and it didn't help that she was the only one out in the elimination round. Hell, even the girl in the wheelchair had managed to hold her own.

Sara watched as Nick threw a ball, hitting the star player on the other team sqarely in the stomach. He was so athletic, his arms roped with muscles, he was easily the best player on the team. "He's smart, athletic, and he's even good-looking," Sara thought, almost jealously. "He's got to have girls throwing themselves at him, why doesn't he have a girlfriend?" She was just speculating, though. Something occured to her at that moment. "Maybe he doesn't think the girl he wants likes him back?" Her mind drifted and she allowed it to think of girls he might like. "It would be one of his friends..." Her eyes widened when she's reached the conclusion. But no, it couldn't be. "Does Nick like Catherine?"

It made sense to Sara. "She's gorgeous, great body, and she's so tough but super nice. Why wouldn't he like Catherine?" For a moment she felt a little sad, thinking that her friends were all going to be coupling up soon enough, leaving her alone. Then she remembered that Catherine was madly in love with Gil, and so Nick stood no chance. "Ha!" she thought victoriously. She felt immediately guilty afterword, though. After all, shouldn't she want her friends to be happy? She wondered why it bothered her so much that Nick liked Catherine.

"We're all in these love triangles," she thought sadly. "Archie, Warrick and Mia, Nick, Cath and Gil, and whatever that thing is with Jim and Natasha. But who does Greg like?" She puzzled over it for a moment, concluding that it was probably Heather, a girl he'd seen him chatting animatedly with the other day. "But where does that leave me?"

XoXoXoXoX

At lunch that day, Greg brought someone new to the table. "Everyone, this is Heather. She just transfered here. Heather, this is Sara, Nick, Gil, Catherine, Archie, Mia, Warrick, Natasha and Jim." He pointed to each person as he said their name, and Heather pulled up a chair and took a seat next to Jim.

Sara watched the new girl with interest, noting the intense, black eyeliner around her large, light green eyes. Her shirt looked hand-swen and was complete with lace trim and black straps with buckles. A long, black skirt and heels completed her ensemble, very different from the normal t-shirt and jeans that was the uniform of every other student.

"So, Heather, where're you from?" Catherine asked. She smiled pleasantly, having taken a liking to the new girl already.

"I went to Henderson, but I've always lived here in Vegas." Heather's voice was smooth, seductive. Catherine knew what she could do to a boy just by speaking to him.

"A private school, huh?" Mia said. "Your parents have got to love you or hate you."

"I can tell you, it's not love," Heather replied, laughing. "They don't approve of me."

Sara smiled. "The clothes, right? They think it's too racy for a high school kid to wear?"

"That's the understatement of the century."

For the rest of the lunch period, they went over their schedules with Heather. She was in Sara's French class and Band after lunch with Greg and Archie. Grinning, the three of them set off together. The newest edition to the group, Heather smiled. She was glad to have found some friends, and she wiped a tear from her eye as she grabbed her violin from her locker, trying not to let anyone see. She was glad to have worn waterproof mascara.


	32. Is It Really That Obvious?

A/N: Okay, this chapter's really short because it's basically all dialogue, so to make up for it, I'm FINALLY going to answer some reviews. Thanks for them, by the way, I'd love to get some more!

**Daisyangel:** Yeah, I don't really know where I'm going with Sara's eating disorder, but I've been toying with the idea for quite some time. I don't know who'll discover it, though.

**wdbydoglvr: **Heather, if you haven't guessed, is Lady Heather from the show. I would NEVER put her with Greg, and I tried to explain that a little better in this chapter. There's still a 50 chance Greg will be with Sara. If you read all my notes about the episode, Lady Heather's Box, you'd be able to guess which relationship she'll be interrupting.

**JoonSanders: **I know you always review, believe me, that comment wasn't directed at you. It was to all the people who have me on their alert list but never review me. As to the whole Sara-is-clueless-about-Nick-and-Greg thing, I have good reason. A.) She obviously has a low self esteem, you can tell that by the eating disorder, so she wouldn't believe they liked her if they threw waffles at her window and told her they did. 2.) As you can tell by Sara in the show, she is completely clueless as to people. She has no life! Why would she be able to tell some guys liked her when she was in high school?

**Silver Hair Fox:** As always, I totally dig your reviews. I hope your YIM gets up soon, I'll be working hard on HSCAM for you, so take a vacation from writing. Or at lease a small, 10 minute break. Hahaha! Love you, hon!

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Heather and Gil walked through the school, chatting amiably. She'd said she wanted to talk to him, and they were heading to the steps in front of the school, where Heather could talk and wait for her mother's car at the same time. Gil was expected at the coroner's office in an hour and a half, and it wasn't a long walk, so he had time to kill.

"So, Mr. Grissom," Heather said to Gil after school. "You would like to have Catherine."

Gil's eyes widened in surprise, and Heather laughed. "How did you know?" he asked suspiciously.

"I didn't, really, until just now," she smirked. "But it was pretty obvious anyway, I think it would be less clear to me if you walked around with a neon sign on your head that said it."

Sighing, Gil sat down on the steps in front of the school. "What can I do?" The question clearly didn't merit an answer, but Heather gave one anyway.

"Wait a little, try to find out how she feels," she said. "Ask Sara. She was watching the two of you, I think she knows."

"How do you know all this?" Gil asked, amazed at how much a few days at McKinley seemed to teach her. "You've been here for four days. Is everything that obvious to you?"

"For one thing, I pay attention to people. I doubt you know what that is," Heather laughed, but not unkindly. "You know, Gil, you seem like a pretty nice guy. The world needs more people like you."

And on that note, she walked away towards a shiny car, presumably her mother's, her black hair swishing in the slight breeze. "What an interesting person," Gil thought, watching as she sat down in the car, slammed the door shut, and blew a kiss through the window. "I wonder what she'll do with her life."

XoXoXoXoX

Sara sped over to Greg, catching him right before he was leaving at the end of the day. "Greggo, hey!" she said, skidding to a halt too late and knocking into him. He caught her easily and set her back on her feet, grinning.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Well, my birthday's coming up. May first. I'm having a party thing, and you're invited." She smiled, and it occured to Greg how much she'd changed from the anti-social science geek she'd once been to the bright, cheerful, beautiful girl standing before him.

"Sweet," he said, taking the invitation she offered him.

"Can I walk with you?" she asked suddenly. "I've got nothing to do for a while, and my house is in the same general direction as yours and Nick's. I have time to kill."

"Sure," Greg said, beginning to walk off the blacktop and onto the sidewalk.

Sara kept stride easily. For some reason, she didn't want to leave Greg so soon. She was surprised when he spoke.

"Is something bothering you?" he asked, concern etched on his boyish face. "You seem kind of distant lately."

"No," Sara said quickly. "I guess I'm a little stressed about how my semester scores will turn out." She was lying through her teeth, she just hoped Greg couldn't tell.

"Okay," Greg replied. "What did you think of Heather?" he asked, changing the subject.

"She was really nice," Sara said. "Are you, like, going out with her?" Her voice was a little higher than usual.

"Oh, hell no!" Greg grinned. "She's way too sadistic for my taste."

"Does that mean you like submissive girls?" Sara teased.

"No," Greg said, blushing at the turn the innocent conversation was taking. "Do you want me to like submissive girls?"

It was Sara's turn to blush. "Greg," she said, pretending to be shocked. She punched his arm playfully

"Sara, I think it's a ligitimate question. Do you want me to like them?"

"I don't care if you buy them on the Strip, I was just making conversation."

"Right." Greg rolled his eyes. Before they knew it, they were in front of Sara's house.

"Thanks," she said, giving him a quick hug and dashing up the steps to her house. Greg watched until she had disappeared inside, then walked happily down the street, laughing all the while.

XoXoXoXoX

Mia pushed open the doors of the school. She'd stayed after trying to get her locker open, so the halls were devoid of anyone save the teachers and herself. As she stepped out into the crisp afternoon air, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned, and smiled. Warrick was standing behind her, glasses glinting in the sunlight.

"Hey," he said, kissing her lightly and frowning at how unresponsive she was. "Is there something wrong?"

She shook her head, cursing herself for being so obvious. She knew she could learn to love him just as much as she had the first time she'd said those three words. Leaning up to kiss him, she smiled. It was a fake smile, but a smile nonetheless.

They walked to Mia's house together, fingers entwined, and chatted aimlessly. Mia watched her feet, the easy rhythm of her long legs next to Warrick's. She didn't want to hurt him, ever.

"But is that love?" she thought. "Who do I want to be with if Warrick isn't the one?"

She decided not to think about it for the time being. When they reached her front door, Warrick kissed her. "I love you," he said.

"I love you, too," she replied. It was just a reply, something you were supposed to say, like when someone asked you how you were and you said fine regardless of what might be happening. She turned and went into her house, relieved to be free of his presence, missing him at the same time.


	33. Breaking Plans and Making Plans

A/N: Thank God this chapter is over 1000 words...When they're under it like eats away at my soul even though my English teacher always says "it's quality, not quantity, that makes the writer" I don't think the quality is all that great. Therefore, quantity is all I have going for me. Oh yeah it's really early sorry if this and my review answers are garbled and unreadable...Oh review so I have more to respond to, please! The little purple button down there needs some love!

**wdbydoglvr: **Oh my God Grissom is totally the CSI pimp! He'll work with anybody! Except...hmm...Mia! Ew! I will forever have that disgusting image implanted in my brain. Yeah, Lady H is my fave out-of-lab character, too. Lady Heather's Box is my second favorite episode, yay for Grissom sex! And I can totally understand about review-ranting, I do it all the time...As you can see by this answer.

**Silver Hair Fox: **Well, K was really good so I'll never try to make you take a break again. Or maybe I will...Muahahahaha! Oh, I found the worst pic of George Eads, I just have to tell you about it, it was great! He played Evel in the movie "Evel Knievel" so he had like the sparkly bike suit and the gross '80s hair and stuff...It was pretty nasty. Kisses!

XoXoXoXoX

"Turns out I'm not having a birthday party," Sara said glumly in homeroom that Thursday. It was two days until May first, and Mrs. Peterson was sick, so she couldn't decorate or bake for Sara's first birthday in their care.

"Don't worry, Sara, you can have it another time!" Nick's voice was cheerful. "My birthday's in June and once I couldn't have a party. I waited utnil October and put together a great party! It was a blast!"

Sara smiled a little. She could completely picture Nick throwing a party four months after his birthday. "Yeah, that sounds cool. Maybe in September I'll have a nice, quiet birthday." She stood up from the table and walked out of class to the bathroom. She had been looking at Mia (who'd snuck into Mrs. Wells' homeroom), her delicate fingers clasped gently in Warrick's strong hand. She noticed the perfect curves of her friend's body, then looked down at her own straight-as-a-board figure. She'd been filled with the desire to purge herself of the ugliness she felt residing underneath her skin, in her very soul.

Locking herself in a stall, she bent down and repeated the ritual that she had grown so accustomed to. She stood up and, after leaving the bathroom, drank quickly from the water fountain, trying to rid her mouth of the acidic taste of vomit. Turning a corner, she stopped suddenly at the boy standing in front of her.

"Hello, Conrad," she said curtly, looking anywhere but in his eyes.

"Hi, Sara," Ecklie said back, equally coldly. "How are things going with you?"

"Fine, thank you." She glared at him out of her big, brown eyes, even larger in her gaunt face.

"Well, I'll be going then," Ecklie said, stepping around her and turning the corner.

After he was out of sight, Sara collapsed against a locker. A thin film of sweat had developed on her forehead, and she wiped it off with one hand, exhaling deeply, hands shaking. She couldn't help but remember the Valentine's Day, what he'd tried to do. She wasn't sure what might have happened if Catherine, Nick and Greg hadn't shown up.

Conrad Ecklie. The name sent chills up her spine, and not the good kind. He was the reason she herself, her body, her everthing. She despised the fact that she let her first kiss be parceled off to such a creep. She was forever overflowing with the need to wash away every bad attribute, to be clean and good again. Unspoiled. She felt ugly, repulsive, like the only people who would like her wouldn't be real. She looked at her pure, beautiful friends and wanted to die.

Composing herself, she walked quickly back to homeroom and sat down next to Catherine, who knew not what dirty little secrets hid behind her friend's worn-out face.

XoXoXoXoX

"So," Catherine said, as soon as Sara left to use the bathroom. "We can't let her miss her first birthday as our friend just because Mrs. Peterson is sick. We have to do something about it!"

"Yeah," Mia said, a little too enthusiastically. Mrs. Wells came gliding over.

"Excuse me, but I don't believe this is your class," she said mistily, looking pointedly at Mia.

"Whoops, guess they caught me," she said to Warrick, disentangling her fingers and walking out of the classroom. "Call me!" she mouthed at Catherine from the doorway.

"I think I can get Sam to let us use his guest house. After that, we just need someone to get Sara to come," Catherine said, turning back to the group with a determined glint in her eyes.

"My grams makes awsome food," Warrick said, happy to help. "I'll ask if she can make us a cake."

"Great!" Catherine said, continuing planning with the group. Sara's return interrupted them prematurely, but they all shared a knowing look that clearly said "I'll call you tonight."

XoXoXoXoX

In French, Sara sat next to Heather, glad to know someone. "How's all the tranferring, catching up on stuff going?" she asked, trying not to gape at the amount of skin Heather's outfit was baring. She was in a short, plaid skirt with a black bustier and fishnets. Sara wanted to ask how she managed to pick outfits and do make-up in the morning and still arrive on-time, but that seemed rude.

Heather looked up from the French textbook. She was already nearly caught up with the class, she seemed to have a gift with languages. "It's alright," she said. "I'm glad to have met some nice people, at least." A smile played across her full lips, and she turned to face Sara, ignoring the teacher entirely. "Have you had a bad week? You look like you need a relaxing bath..."

Sara rolled her eyes inwardly, but put a cheery smile on for Heather. "It's been really stressful, I mean, I get my semester scores tomorrow, and I've been trying to plan my birthday party which has come crashing down around my ears."

Heather looked skeptical for a moment, but the look vanished and lights danced behind her eyes. "You really should treat yourself to a spa day, paint your nails, stick cucumbers over your eyes or read a book in the bath tub. I think it would do you some good. I like to say, 'Your body is a temple. Why don't you treat it like one?' You're very pretty, Sara, why not celebrate it?"

Sara sighed, wishing she could tell Heather exactly how she treated her body, but restrained herself. "Thanks. I'll keep it in mind," she said, suddenly wanting to take a bath and paint her nails. "Maybe that's not such a dumb idea," she thought, smiling at Heather and turning back to Mr. Duval, who was conjugating verbs on the blackboard.

XoXoXoXoX

"So, we're all meeting tomorrow after school to get the place ready?" Catherine asked. Everyone except Sara was in one giant phone conversation, starting with Cat using three-way calling to talk to Nick and Greg at the same time. They'd each three-wayed someone else, branching out until they had everyone together. Even Heather had joined in, saying she'd love to help set up.

"Yes." The word came, jumbled, from everyone at the same time.

"And what will we be telling Sara if she wants to hang out with us after school?" Cath was taking the birthday party seriously, wanting to surprise her friend and do the best job she could.

Everyone listed off their excuses at once, making all of the words inaudible. "Good. Talk to you at school!" Hanging up her phone, Catherine went back to her homework, absentmindedly doodling on a piece of paper and hoping that her plan would be a success.

Sara, meanwhile, had just leaned back in a steaming bath, a book on the radiator next to the tub in case she wanted to read, two cucumber slices over her eyes. "Heather really knows what she's talking about," she thought, sinking lower into the bubbles and smiling to herself.


	34. Surprise, Surprise

A/N: Gah! This chapter's only 883 words! To make up for it, I'll answer the four lovely reviews I got. I just broke 150 reviewsm, will you guys help me to get 200? Next chapter will be longer, I promise. Anyway, back to answering. Oh, and by the by, this chapter is dedicated to **Beka Rhade**, because she has a good reason for not reviewing all the time. On to the answers!

**CSIrookiechick:** I'm trying to throw a little more of the hope in this chapter, is very bouncy compared to the other ones. Oh, and as to the book on the radiator, I was basing Sara's bathroom off my bathroom, and the radiator never comes on in there so it's always unbearably cold. Anyway, it's where I stick my book. It hasn't caught fire yet.

**Beka Rhade: **I don't really know _why_ Nick hasn't noticed, but Greg is always the one to say "God she's thin" or something. Anyway, I'm planning a little confontation next chapter, so then we'll know they all noticed. About my update-every-day policy, I can't change it, sorry. I'm way too obsessed with this fanfiction. I do take an off day on Thursdays though.

**Daisyangel:** All your reviews have gotten through just fine, don't worry! I love them. Like I said, I'm plotting for next chapter, but depending on the circumstances it may not be updated tomorrow morning, I have to go volunteer at Planned Parenthood this evening, which cuts into my writing/homework time. I'll post your ff soon, but life is happening at the moment. It sucks.

**Silver Hair Fox:** I'm not entirely sure why I threw Ecklie in, maybe just to like, note his prominence in her downward spiral of doom, or something. To show how truly evil he is. I'm loving VMT, you should update that soon, as well as WTM. I'll be on Yahoo this afternoon but not for long, and I have to type and do homework so I might not talk that much.

XoXoXoXoX

"Come on, Sara," Catherine said, tuggin Sara's arm as they ran along the sidewalk towards Sam Braun's estate. It was May first, Sara's birthday, and Cathy had been the one volunteered to bring the birthday girl to the party.

"Remind me again why we have to run?" Sara said breathlessly. She was never much of an athlete, and her decreased apetite had diminished her strength considerably. She puffed along behind Catherine, as her friend spoke.

"Well, Gil told me he wants to speak to me alone, I told him to meet me here, and I wanted to bring a witness," Catherine said, reciting her carefully chosen alibi. Gil knew nothing of this, of course, and since Sara was the only one Cathy had told about her fascination with Gil, it only made sense for her to be the "witness". Sara didn't question it, she trusted Catherine's judgement, and she was too out of breath to argue.

"This is it, right, Cat?" Sara asked, pointing to a sprawling lawn in front of a large mansion, a small guest house beside it.

"Yup," Catherine confirmed, dragging Sara along faster, a huge grin on her face.

When they reached the big, oak front door, Catherine pushed it open. The house was dark, but as soon as the two girls stepped in someone turned on the lights and everyone jumped out of various hiding places.

"Surprise!" the group yelled in unison. Natasha bounded out from behind the couch and gave Sara a hug. "Happy birthday, hon!" she said happily as Sara noticed Jim watching somewhat jealously.

Grinning like a fool, Sara hugged everyone and thanked them, admiring the decorations and the smell of the food. "Presents first," Greg said to the room at large, shoving a plastic bag into Sara's hands.

"Typical guy, not wrapping a present," Sara thought. "It's sort of endearing." She opened the crinkled plastic and looked inside. A walkman with headphones was inside, with what looked like a mix tape next to it.

"I made it for you, it's all my favorite songs. I can't wait til you hear The Cure," Greg said, giving her a quick hug. "Happy birthday, Sara."

Heather's present was next. Sara adored the shiny black paper and opened it carefully, letting the wrapping fall away in one piece. A white box was inside, and Sara gasped as she opened it. A short, strapless, midnight blue dress unfolded in her hands, the satiny material sliding in and out of her fingers. Noticing the tag, Sara was even more shocked. "Lady Heather's Creations," it read.

"Did you make this?" Sara asked, a new admiration for her friend blossoming in her mind.

Smiling modestly, Heather nodded. "I make a lot of my own clothing. It keeps me busy when I have to while away the hours."

Gil saw Heather in a new light. She was now not only smart, kind and insightful, but creative and resourceful. His mind snapping back to the task at hand, he handed Sara his present. It was a butterfly pendant on a delicate sliver chain. The colors of the wings were dark and mysterious, yet at the same time, they held an inner light, making them cheerful. It fit Sara's personality perfectly.

Mia had given Sara a black peacoat. It hugged her body just right, hiding how thin she'd become, accentuating what little curves she had left. Sara adored it, and put it next to the growing pile of unwrapped presents. Nick's gift was practical; he'd given her an Agatha Christie novel called And Then There Were None. Sara had wanted to read it for awhile, and she grinned, giving Nick a hug and thanking him.

Jim gave her a black beret, which, by coincidence, looked ravishing when combined with the peacoat. Archie's gift was _Edward Scissorhands_, the movie they'd watched after Catherine's karaoke birthday. He grinned when Sara thanked him, saying he knew she liked it, even if it was the saddest thing she'd ever watched. Sara laughed and thanked him again, putting it carefully next to everything else. Next was Warrick's present, he'd gotten her a pair of gold earrings with ladybugs on them. Trying them on, everyone agreed that the flash of red every so often under her hair was a fantastic touch.

Natasha handed Sara her gift, an ear-to-ear smile on her face. When Sara tore back the wrapping paper, out fell a black t-shirt with a picture of the Eiffel Tower in silver on it. "Since you love French so much, I thought I'd bring you a little taste of France," she said, smirking a little. Sara laughed, saying it wasn't France she minded, it was conjugating verbs which got her down.

Lastly was Catherine's present. It was in a large box, and when Sara opened it, she found a variety of things inside. A bunch of silver rings with various colors of stones, all on the white hand of a mannequin. A fluffy stuffed penguin, a copy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack, and a handmade card which proclaimed, "I'll buy you a whole outfit at the mall next weekend and we'll go clubbing to show it off. Deal?"

Sara looked at Catherine and grinned. "Deal, Cat."

"Okay, what are we waiting for?" Greg asked rhetorically. "Let's eat cake!"


	35. Confrontation

A/N: Dear God, I am so tired. I spent 3 hours last night at Planned Parenthood, calling these people about giving teens the right to have an abortion without telling their parents. I got called a slut, a bitch, a dirty whore, and I don't even remember what else. Then I came home and wrote this chapter, after that I did my Government paper, and I still have my geometry homework to work on at lunch and break today. How will I live? Sorry, no review answers this time, I'm too damn tired. Send me more and I'll answer next time? wink wink nudge nudge Yeah, but thanks to: **Daisyangel**, **Linwe Melwasul**, and, of course, **Silver Hair Fox**. Your reviews made the nice end to an otherwise dismal day. Enjoy the chapter!

XoXoXoXoX

The next Monday, Sara and Catherine walked to school together. Catherine was swinging her arms and humming "New Slang" by The Shins, slightly off key but cheery nonetheless. Sara walked behind her, staring at her feet and holding her backpack up to her chest, her skinny arms poking, skeletal, out of the sleeves of her t-shirt.

"Shame that Gil didn't actually want to speak to you privately," Sara suddenly said. "I know how much you wanted that to happen."

Catherine looked back and grinned. "I've accepted that it's probably not going to happen. That was just the most sure-fire way I could get you to come with me. It's all in the good."

Sara nodded, her eyes turned downwards. Catherine looked over her shoulder and said casually, "You should eat more. You're nothing but skin and bones!"

Wide-eyed, Sara stared at Catherine in disbelief. "What are you talking about? I'm so fat!"

Rolling her eyes, Cathy stuck her tongue out at Sara. "Come on, you know you're thinner than any showgirl in the Tangiers! Or anywhere else, for that matter." She looked into Sara's eyes and the laughter faded from her face.

"She's serious," Cath thought. "She thinks she's fat." Knowing it wasn't the time, nor the place, to talk about such a delicate issue, she dropped the subject and picked up her humming again.

XoXoXoXoX

In P.E., Nick looked down at Sara, noticing just how thin she'd become. It seemed that, at the beginning of the year, she'd been skinny, her face sharp and angular, bony. But now, as he gaped at her arms, her legs, her pencil-thin neck, he thought that the beginning-of-the-year Sara didn't know half of what angular and bony was.

She saw him staring and smiled, her gap-toothed grin spreading across her small face like butter over bread. She seemed so small, so miniscule, something he wanted to catch in a jar and keep next to his bed, just to make sure she didn't break. Like she might turn to dust if you breathed on her wrong. Nick smiled sadly, noticing the way, when her t-shirt would ride above the waistband of her gym shorts, her hips stuck out too far, and her skin was so tight across her ribs that he might have been able to count them.

"What is she doing to herself?" he thought, as if seeing her for the first time. "Who is doing this to her?" He refused to believe that Sara, who was so smart and kind, would harm herself intentionally. He knew she wouldn't fall for the depressed, emo teenager shit. She would scoff at the idea of herself, a science genius with a buttload of friends, putting her own life at risk.

Pushing the thought out of his mind, Nick picked up the baseball bat on the plate and swung it hard, wishing he could only smack all of Sara's worries away, help her, keep her sane.

Sara, standing behind Nick, noticed his muscles tense as the bat smashed into the ball, sending it out over the baseball field. "Like he's doing it for a purpose," she thought. "Like he wants to save the world."

XoXoXoXoX

At lunch that day, Sara hardly ate anything. She felt full, like she'd eaten a full three-course dinner, yet she wasn't satisfied. Taking a nibble of her sandwich now and then, she tried to content herself with the dry bread and peanut butter. Natasha noticed, and was slightly worried.

"Do you not like that sandwhich? You can have half of mine," she said, holding out half a turkey sandwich and grinning. She knew Sara was eating too little, the evidence was clear in the way every bone in her arms were visible.

Sara shook her head. "I'm feeling a little bit sick today," she lied, taking a small bite of her own peanut butter and jelly. "Hey, I'll be right back, I'm going to run to the bathroom.

The moment she'd passed through the cafeteria doors, Heather stood up. "I'll be right back," she said, and followed Sara, tailing her carefully, hiding in alcoves along the hallway. She gave a few seconds after Sara had gone into the bathroom, then followed her inside, discovering the unmistakable sounds of retching coming from the only occupied stall.

Sara stopped when she saw Heather. She said nothing, didn't move a muscle. She was weighing Heather's reaction, trying to gauge how much she'd heard, she'd seen, she knew.

"I thought so," was all she said, looking Sara up and down. "I know what it's like, believe me. The feeling of not being good enough. My parents started me out as a child model when I was six, and I hated it from the start. The same greasy, old men taking my picture, always moving me around, their flashbulbs were so bright that I couldn't see for minutes afterward. The stars in my eyes. They were stealing my soul, selling it to magazines, big-name companies. They bought me, not as a person. I was property. And they always wanted a newer version. My parents didn't want to lose their 'business,' they thought no one else would take me. They would call me fat, ugly, stupid. I could just sit in my room and cry, but that never did any good. I wanted to help my family, I wanted to be pretty. So I purged. I started when I was eight. I would eat, and I could throw it up and it would be like I'd never eaten at all. But then eating became too much of a hassle. I'd fake sick, hide the food I was given, anything for a perfect, skinny body. But it hurt me in the end. I was hospitalized at age nine. I went into the care of a doctor in Canada for a year, and she helped me cure myself. For the first time in my life, I could feel good about who I was. And let me tell you, that's a lot better than being the thinnest or the prettiest."

Sara watched and listened, hearing Heather's tale from beginning to end. She wondered why her friend had ever wanted to change herself, she was so perfect and beautiful already. Suddenly, she spoke. "That won't work for me. I _am _ugly, I'm fat. This is something I need to do, or the only people in life for me will be Ecklies. I can't allow that to happen."

Just then, Heather moved forward and wrapped her arms around Sara. "He didn't deserve you. You're beautiful."

For no reason, Sara began to cry. She wasn't sure what she was crying for, whether it was for Heather's terrible past or her own dark future, or something else entirely. She let her bottled-up feelings out, tears expressing the words that failed her. They stood together, clasped in an embrace full of sorrow, until the bell rang.

Sara looked up, dried her eyes, and sniffled a little. "Thanks, Heather. I'm going to get better, I know I will."

Heather smiled a sad, melancholy smile and left the bathroom, leaving Sara to sort out her thoughts and go to class alone.

No one asked what had happened in the bathroom, subconsciously, they all knew about Sara's bulimia, her fight against herself, always on the losing team. Nick and Greg, especially, wondered just what had gone on, but both of them knew that you just had to have been there. If you miss it, you miss it. It's in the past, now.


	36. The Blob

A/N: Hey all! My day off yesterday was great! I'm looking forward to nextThursday, too...I love days off. Anywho, this chappie is like the shortest thing ever so I'll answer some reviews to make up for it. Also, I know I haven't put Archie in for like a billion chapters, but I'm hoping to get some more of him in the next ones. A little break from Sara. Although I still have to resolve that eating disorder thing a little more. Ah well, now, the answers!

**Daisyangel**: Thanks. My best friend was anorexic for a while, so that's where I drew my inspiration for Sara's thoughts. I'm so sorry that I haven't gotten your story up yet, but I just got my mid-terms and I have no spare time. This story is my top priority.

**Linwe Melwasul**: Yes, I was glad to have a break from the romance with last chapter, too, but this one is back to the mushygushy stuff. What can I say? It's my forte. Which means my specialty. And although there's no pink donkey, there's a little foreshadowing where that is involved.

**CSIrookiechick**: I'm plotting more of Heather's "interaction" with Grissom, but for now I'm leaving her alone for a little while. I got her background partly from a short story I read called "Charm" by Francescia Lia Block. It's in a book called Rose and the Beast and it's fantastic.

**Silver Hair Fox**: I can't wait for your letter and the pictures. I am going to go check the mail right now because it just came, even though I'm pretty sure it hasn't come yet. I'm plotting a way to have you involved with Sara's recovery, but I'm leaving that topic alone for the time being.

XoXoXoXoX

Mia shut her eyes, leaning back into the soft pillows at the head of her bed. In her hand was the receiver of her cordless phone, her thumb poised on the talk button, waiting for the telltale ring that would confirm that six o' clock had arrived.

She jumped slightly when it rang, hastily jabbing the button and bringing the phone to her mouth. "Hello?" she asked, knowing full well who was calling.

"Hey, Babe." Warrick's voice manifested at the other end of the phone, his tone was naïve, innocent, vulnerable. "How's life?"

"It's fine," Mia said, the lie spilling from her mouth before she could contain it. She turned down her CD player, the words resonating in her mind. "It all looks fine to the naked eye, but it don't really happen that way at all," the voice blaring from her stereo said. "Too true," she thought, allowing her mind to tune back in on what Warrick was saying.

"So I was wondering if we could go see a movie this weekend?" he finished hesitantly, as though he was asking her out for the first time.

"Actually, Rick," Mia said, regret apparent in her voice. "I-"

"You're parents don't want you to? That's okay, I understand," Warrick said, cutting her off. The nervousness remained in his voice.

"No, that's not it," Mia said gently. "You and I both know what it is."

"No, I don't!" Warrick said, his voice snapping. "You want to clue me in?" His voice had grown harsh, worried, the voice of someone who's lost and is shouting into the wilderness, not knowing what to expect.

"This is really hard for me," Mia whispered. "Part of me doesn't want to do it."

"Then don't!" Mia could hear the tears threatening to spill behind Warrick's eyes. Her heart ripped in two.

"I love you, Warrick," she said in an attempt to right things. "I just don't feel the same way as you do. You've been like a brother to me, and I don't want to ruin that with a different kind of relationship."

Silence came from Warrick's end. It sounded as though he wasn't even breathing, on the edge of his seat, waiting for the words that could shatter his heart into a million tiny, delicate pieces, never to be put back together.

"I want to break up." The words were finally out of Mia's mouth, the situation was out of her hands. She waited for a response. When she got one, it wasn't what she expected to hear. A dial tone was buzzing in her ear, all that was left of what could have once been one love, one life, one happy memory.

XoXoXoXoX

Natasha came to school again the next day. Before the bell had rung, the group, minus Warrick who had feigned illness, was sitting in the hallway outside of Mrs. Wells' classroom. Mia was just finishing her story.

"I totally see where you're coming from," Natasha piped up, her voice still hoarse from her chest cold. "I know what it's like to not want a relationship."

Jim sighed at this, but only Gil heard. He looked sadly at his best friend, wondering what was to become of the two of them.

Heather was the next to speak. "I know. Did he expect you to just stay with him until he got bored of you? Good job taking the initiative." She grinned and laughed.

Mia laughed too, but it was a sad laugh, a morose laugh full of the woes of a confused heart. She looked at her feet, the shoelaces stained with mud from a time when she'd been in the park with Warrick and it had started to rain. Her shoes had been covered in mud, but she'd managed to clean it all off. Everything except the small smudge on the otherwise clean lace. She felt her eyes prickling with tears and vigorously rubbed her face, willing the dams to hold until she was alone.

Seeing this, Archie, who was sitting next to her, wrapped his arms around her thin shoulders and allowed her to cry into his chest. Mia gratefully hugged him back, her body racking with sobs. Sara scooted closer to her and hugged her as well, sandwiching Mia between Archie and her. One by one, the rest of the group joined in, Jim and Gil tying for last. One giant blob, they blocked the hallway, Mia in the center. Her sobs soon turned to laughs as she tried to poke her head out of the enormous hug circle.

Then the bell rang, shaking everyone out of their thoughts. The blob dissipated, but it's feelings of comfort remained. Mia laughed as she walked to her class, still feeling everyone's arms around her, the love, the caring feelings. She smiled and took a seat, wondering if maybe she could repair her lost friendship with Warrick someday.

XoXoXoXoX


	37. Reading Poems

A/N: Okay, then! Minus the author's note, this chapter is 1099 words! Go me! I'm gonna answer some reviews in a minute, but first, the news. I'm reading this book called The Alienist by Caleb Carr, it's very good and has a lot of forensic stuff for all those hard-core people who want to be CSIs. Only, it takes place in the late 1800s, so it's got late 1800s kind of forensics. Also, this chapter is dedicated to **JoonSanders** who hasn't reviewed in a while. I can't remember if I dedicated the last chapter to her, too, but oh well! Also special thanks to **Linwe Melwasul**. Although there's no pink donkey in this, it gave me a little idea. The poem that Catherine reads is called "Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town" by E. E. Cummings. I love that poem. It's so sad and beautiful.

**Daisyangel**: I feel all crappy for splitting up Mia and Warrick, too. It's such a shame, he really liked her. I'm trying to resolve a little of that in this chapter. I'm thinking of some major Natasha/Jim stuff in a chapter that takes place in August, which might be when I break someone else up...But first I have to get some people together...Oops! Giving stuff away!

**wildcherry32**: Of course I've written a lot of chapters! I update every day except Thursday, my day off! And I took a very long vacation for my wrist...That was so nice and un-stressful. I am SO glad you like my story, I was all geared up for my first fanfiction to be like this one story that everyone hates, so having people like it is so great! Yay!

**Silver Hair Fox**: Yeah, I love the blob. I really want to see the cheesy old horror movie. I think they get rid of it by like dumping it in Alaska or something! And I have to build up some tension between you and Jim, then I can slowly let you be friends again which will lead up to the August chapter. Hurrah! Oops, gotta go make cookies and check my mail!

XoXoXoXoX

Standing at the open door of her small, walk-in closet, Catherine wore a puzzled expression. Held in her hands was a dark blue t-shirt, the only thing she could find to wear that day. She pulled a pair of grey-black jeans out of the closet, holding them next to the shirt and admiring the effect. "Perfect," she thought, pulling them on and grabbing her backpack. She was out the door in 50 seconds flat.

Feet pounding the sidewalk, she looked down at the shirt. It was tight, but not obscenely so. She grinned. "Something for Gil to look at while I do my poetry presentation today," she said softly to herself, her smile growing.

In poetry class, Cathy stood at the front of the room, a paper in her hands. She was reading a poem by E. E. Cummings, her favorite of his many works.

"Anyone lived in a pretty how town, with up so floating many bells down," she said, her smile never leaving her face. "Spring, summer, autumn, winter. He sang his didn't, he danced his did."

From the audience, Gil listened to the melodious sound of her voice, dancing over the words like fingers on the keys of a piano. She could manipulate such a classic poem, beautiful in it's simplicity, and find a new way to say it, a new meaning could spring forth from her voice shaping someone else's words.

"Children guessed, but only a few, and down they forgot as up they grew, autumn, winter, spring, summer. No one loved him more by more." Pausing only for a second to catch her breath, Catherine pressed on, occasionally checking the paper, though she knew the poem by heart. "When by now and tree by leaf, she laughed his joy, she cried his grief." Catherine felt a connection to this line. She laughed Gil's joy. "Bird by snow and stir by still, anyone's any was all to her."

He knew it was a long poem, but to Gil, the words seemed to be slipping away, like sand through his fingers. He gave up trying to catch them, leaning back in the hard, plastic chair and watching Catherine's rosebud lips move.

"One day anyone died, I guess, and no one stopped to kiss his face. Busy folk buried them side by side, little by little and was by was. All by all and deep by deep, more by more they dream their sleep. No one and anyone, earth by April, wish by spirit and if by yes." There was one stanza left, Catherine realized, continuing. It was becoming increasingly clear just how bizarre and sad the one, simple poem had become. "Women and men, both dong and ding, summer, autumn, winter, spring, reaped their sowing and went their came, sun, moon, stars, rain."

She finished beautifully, her eyes moving across the audience. Sweeping a deep bow, Catherine took her seat next to Gil to raucous applause. Everyone had doubted her, the bully that she was. No one thought anyone so cruel, so violent, would be such a poet, such a great reader. Smiling secretly to herself, Catherine ignored the shouts of "Encore!" and turned to start a conversation with an awestruck Gil Grissom.

XoXoXoXoX

"Crap!" Mia said despairingly, as her papers tumbled out of her hands. Stooping down to pick them up, she noticed a typed piece of paper that she didn't recognize. After she'd gathered up her homework, she took out the mystery paper and smoothed out the creases where it had been folded.

"I don't know what to do," the paper said. "You can't be what I want you to. I've fallen for you so much, but I'm afraid to treat you as such. My friend, I can't see why, with broken wings you cannot fly. I'll lift your sorrows up; I'll pour my heart into a paper cup for you."

Mia blushed. The note wasn't signed. She inspected the font, any irregularities, determining that it couldn't have been written on a typewriter. "Big discover, Mia," she thought sarcastically. "Who uses a typewriter anymore? There's got to be, like, fifty computers in the school anyone could have typed this on."

Nevertheless, she smiled and pocketed the note, folding it carefully along the original creases and sliding it gingerly into the right pocket of her jeans.

XoXoXoXoX

Sitting, cross-legged, on the wooden floor of Sara's attic, Mia took out the letter. She was there with Sara, Catherine, Natasha and Heather, all of whom had taken a great interest in Mia's secret admirer. It was late May, about two weeks after she had broken up with Warrick. The two of them spoke politely to each other, but never made much of a decent conversation.

"Who do you think sent it?" Mia asked after her four companions had had a turn to study the letter.

"I could venture a guess," Sara said, sharing a look with Heather. "I mean, it's sort of obvious."

Natasha nodded, taking a candy bar out of her purse and shoving it at Sara. "Detective work should make you hungry. Eat," she said. Sara begrudgingly obeyed, peeling off the wrapper and taking a bite of chocolate. Natasha had taken a particular interest in Sara's health and now had the habit of forcing food on her at regular intervals.

"If it's obvious," Mia said, racking her memory. "Wait a minute! You don't think Warrick sent this?"

Heather laughed. "What, are you blind? Or do you just have a really low self esteem? It's completely obvious that he likes you."

Mia looked confused. "Who are you talking about?" she asked. The fact that they knew something she didn't was beginning to get to her. "How do you know?"

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Hon, we're not going to just tell you. I think he should get a chance to write you some love letters before we spoil his fun. You should figure it out for yourself. It's not too hard."

Putting on her best, most pitiful face, Mia began to beg. "Please tell me? I'll act like I don't know, I swear."

Sara smirked. "I don't know," she said, biting a piece off her candy bar and speaking with her mouth full. "I think you should work it out yourself."

The others agreed, and eventually everyone left, leaving Sara to puzzle over her friend's situation. "I wonder how she'll take it when she finds out?" she mused, turning out the attic light and carrying a few empty bags of Cheetos down the ladder to throw away in the kitchen. "I think they're perfect for each other."


	38. Woes and Cutting

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm sosososo sorry I haven't posted in like a month and a half! I had so much crap to do, it was awful. School's a bitch, you know? I heard from Nikki via phone that you guys were asking her where I was...That's so sweet! Anyway, the vote was totally one-sided, so I want to get them together a little later and put another character in the story. I way apologize for the change of plans, but soon, maybe at homecoming in grade 10, I will start getting people together. You simply must review and vote for whether or not I put in a new character! If I do, she'll come in around July. Please review! I live for it! Also, this chapter is dedicated to Alison, who reviewed my story a bunch of times and asked for a character. I don't know if she reads it anymore, but I gave her a part in the chapter "Catherine's Surprise" and she comes back here. It's only a small part, but I hope you like it, girl! I love you all! Kisses!

XoXoXoXoX

Gil walked into school that morning, June first, the same way he did every morning. Devoid of friends. For once in his life, though, he was slightly glad that he wouldn't have to see anyone until homeroom. Making his way up a few flights of stairs and down a deserted corridor, he found a small sanctuary to sort his thoughts out. It was a few steps and a landing leading to a door out on the roof. After hours and during lunch it was a prime make-out spot, but Gil didn't think any of those people would bother him this early.

It had all started the previous night, in the morgue. He'd been calmly disecting a cat, as he'd been assigned to, when his thoughts drifted. This was commonplace for Gil, but his mind didn't settle on Catherine, but Heather. He had been thinking about her captivating smile for a few moments when he'd realized just what he was doing.

"What are you doing!" He had screamed in his mind while he mentally kicked himself. "You can't be thinking of anyone other than your one true love, Catherine." He'd remained firm on this until he found his thoughts going back to Heather's effortless style. "Maybe, since Catherine's so obviously not interested, it's possible she's not the one?" the weaker side of his mind asked hopefully. "Shut up!" the angry, frustrated version of himself shouted. He focused hard on the corpse on the table and didn't allow his mind to stray to either girl for the rest of the night.

Shaking himself out of his memory, Gil realized the school was steadily filling up. "What am I going to do?" he said softly, wondering for the umpteenth time why they didn't have a class that taught this kind of thing.

"What are you going to do about what?" a voice asked. Heather's head popped up over the railing of the staircase, wearing a characteristic, sly smile. Gil fought every impulse to run.

"About... my end of the year tests! They start today!" Gil said, thinking fast and lying through his teeth. Heather raised her eyebrows, but let the comment drop.

"The bell's about to ring, we should probably get to class," Heather threw over her shoulder. She was already off and running down the hall towards her homeroom, the bell around her neck jangling noisily. The last he saw of her until lunch was her hand flying up to straighten the cat ears she was wearing over her black hair.

XoXoXoXoX

Sara yawned. Mr. De la Cruz was single-handedly boring the entire class to death. Next to her, Greg blinked. Their heads were on the desk facing each other, deliberately avoiding the powerpoint presentation they were being shown.

"Hey, Hojem," Sara whispered, causing Greg to flinch at the use of his middle name.

"What can I do for you?" he asked sarcastically.

"Nothing. I just wanted to see if you would respond." Sara giggled, and a small dimple showing up in her cheek made Greg smile, despite the cruelty she had shown him by using the dreaded middle name. Rolling his eyes and trying hard not to smile, Greg turned his head so he could see the pictures moving sluggishly across the screen. He was glad they didn't have their test in Ancient Cultures for two more days, he needed time to cram an entire year's cirriculum into his mind before the big exam. He'd done well on his social studies test that morning, (they were doing one test per day for the rest of the year) but he feared for his credit in this class.

Sara was thinking along the same lines. She'd gotten Heather to tutor her on Saturdays in French, but it wasn't helping. She felt almost guilty about asking the transfer student for help, but Heather explained that she had once spoken French fluently, which was why she picked it up so quickly.

"I think we should get the gang to skiv off the rest of the day," Greg suggested in a sleepy voice. "It's not like we have exams for anything besides our first classes, right?"

"Sounds like a plan," Sara said with her eyes closed. "Any more of this and I just might vomit." She grinned at the allusion to her eating disorder, which she had almost overcome with the help of Natasha, her eyes still closed.

XoXoXoXoX

"Mia!" Archie called down the hall. She turned, saw him, and hurried over.

"Yeah?" she said, smiling at the look in his eyes.

"Catherine told me you got a love note. Is it true?"

"Did you call me down here to gossip or do you have some kind of information as to who sent it?" Mia asked, her town annoyed but her eyes dancing with laughter.

"I don't know. Just curious, I guess," Archie replied soberly. "I think everyone's planning to skip the rest of the day, whadda ya say?"

"Sure. I could definitely use a break."

At that moment, Nick walked by and waved wildly to them. "We're cutting, everyone's on their way. Wait by the front doors," he said and hurried off. Mia and Archie began a slow walk down towards the double doors at the front of the school.

XoXoXoXoX

"Let me guess," the usual waitress, Alison, said as the group of eleven walked in out of the blazing June sunshine and into their favorite haunt. "You'll take ten iced mochas and a Blue Hawaiian, on Braun's tab?"

Catherine nodded, grinning, as the Alison's lemon-yellow skirt swished while she turned to make the drinks. Her flip-flops smacked the wooden floor in a steady rhythm as she brought over a large tray a few minutes later.

"Thanks, hon," Natasha said, grabbing her coffee and taking a deep pull. Greg was sipping at his Blue Hawaiian, perking up considerably after the long, boring half-day at school.

"You're all skipping the rest of the day, am I right?" Alison asked, pulling a chair up to the end of the table. Business was slow, and she was able to indulge in one of her favorite past-times: chatting with the high schoolers.

Heather nodded, her cat ears threatening to slide down over her face. She fixed them quickly and took a drink of her mocha.

"What's the latest gossip?" Alison asked slyly. She had been there during karaoke night all those months ago, and had quite an idea of who liked who, maybe more than most of the group did.

"Mia got a love note!" Natasha said excitedly, though she knew full well who wrote it. Mia was the only girl who was oblivious to Archie's obvious feelings.

Alison smiled from ear to ear. She, too, knew it must be Archie who'd sent the note, but she feigned surprise for his sake. "Really? I want all the gory details..."

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: All right, as I sat here and listened to Baba O'Reily, I felt the need to put an end note. So here goes. REMEMBER TO REVIEW! That small, purplish button needs your love. So anyway, I'll try to update more frequently.

Je t'aime!

Maddy

P.S. I might not update for a while because I just got my new schedule (classes start on Monday) and I have so many really stressful classes. Luckily I have two classes with Joyce (we call teachers by their first names) and she's nice and understanding. Anyway stop bugging Nikki because she's getting mad at me for it! Abientôt!


	39. Let's Take a Trip

A/N: Hey everyone! It's Madds, back from the dead! Now fully equipped with internet half the time, so I'm going to try to update more frequently. This is the first chapter in a little series, I don't know how long it's going to be, but it will take up two weeks. Also, there's a new character at the end of this chappie, my OC, she'll be the last character to join so now there's an even balance of boys and girls. I'm dedicating this chapter to everyone who's reviewed, especially **dArkliTe-sPirit **who read the entire thing in one go (or so I gathered from the nice review). Sorry it took so long to update, I should be back on a decent schedule soon. Special thanks to Nikki (aka **MidnightCrime**) for convincing me to put my character in there. Also, sorry if there's any spelling errors. I only have notepad on my computer and it doesn't have spellcheck. And sorry for my long-ass author's note, I like to ramble. Happy Valentines day everyone, by the end of tomorrow (the 14th, yay!) I should have a beau that smells incredible! I love you all, especially if you review! I don't care if you love it/shove it but it brightens my day to see a review in my inbox.

Lots of love,

Maddy

XoXoXoXoX

"RUN!" Greg yelled as the bell rang on the last day of school. They'd been milling around in the auditorium after a speech by the principal. Immediately, everyone bolted for the doors, spilling out onto the blacktop, out across the streets, and into the June sunshine. Laughing exhaustedly, Gil, Jim, Cat, Sara, Greg, Nick, Warrick, Mia, Archie, Heather and Natasha walked across the street and towards the usual coffee shop. When they arrived, Alison (their favorite barista) grinned. "I thought I might see you today," she said. "What's the haps?"

Catherine laughed. "Ally, no one says 'what's the haps' anymore. Mia still hasn't gotten another note from the mystery boy, though." She shot a meaningful look at Archie. His courage had waned after the first poem.

"Well, I guess I should start making your coffee, you teenagers like to have caffiene with your air nowadays," Alison snickered.

As she left, Greg cleared his throat importantly. "I've got a proposition, ladies and gentlemen," he said, grinning. "My best childhood pal, Maddy Jenne, has offered to take us, all eleven of us, for a couple of weeks in July at her house in Tamales Bay, California. I don't know what makes her think she can handle all of us, but she's always making reckless descisions like this. Anyway, whaddaya say? She's hell bent on teaching us to ballroom dance. And there's rumors that she's coming to live with her aunt here in Vegas next year, so she wants to meet some people."

"Sweet!" Catherine said loudly. "We're gonna hit the beach, and do California stuff, and it's gonna be great!"

"Sounds like a blast," Nick answered, taking a coffee from the tray Alison offered before returning to the counter. "When?"

"First two weeks of July, the first to the fourteenth," Greg replied, secretly glad that Nick was so enthusiastic. Maddy had agreed, as per Greg's request, to try to get Nick to fall for her, leaving Sara for Greg.

Sara, counting on her fingers, exclaimed, "That's only eight days away!"

"Yeah," Warrick put in, "shame they had to extend the school year an extra week for starting late in September."

XoXoXoXoX

Seven days later, almost everyone was frantically packing for the two weeks in sunny Tamales bay. Greg had advised everyone on what to bring, and although he'd seemed ready and organized, he was the last one packing. Tossing swim trunks and a few pairs of shorts in a bag, he stood up.

"Crap," he said out loud. With the jumbled mess in the bag, he would never be able to get it closed. Giving an involuntary shudder, he realized the only alternative. Folding. Grumpily, he picked up the bag and emptied its contents on the bed. He picked up a shirt, folded it, and realized how long it was going to take to get everything packed.

"I guess I'd better get going," he grimaced, putting the shirt in the bag as well as a clean pair of black pants and a dress shirt, which (for reasons he wasn't sure of yet) Maddy had told him to bring. She'd asked everyone to bring some nice, semi-formal attire, for a surprise she had in store. But no one realized just how many surprises Greg's childhood friend was going to spring on them. Not yet, anyway.

Meanwhile, Catherine was having similar troubles. Although everything was perfectly folded, it seemed her bag wouldn't close. She took out two swimsuits, leaving her two favorite in the bag. Deciding she wouldn't needvery many pairs of pants, she took a few out and shut zipped the bag shut with only a slight difficulty. A short black skirt with red petticoats and a corset, heels, and the box with Gil's Christmas present to her were nestled at the bottom of the bag. "Maybe that's why it seems like I brought so much," she thought to herself. "I wonder what we need all that fancy crap."

XoXoXoXoX

Sara had meticulously packed the previous night, which left her, on her last night in Las Vegas, free to wonder about the mysterious childhood friend of Greg's that would take in 10 strangers for two weeks. She'd gone out skating to better clear her head, admiring the stars, the view that you couldn't get on the Strip. She thought about Tamales Bay. Where she'd grown up. And, consequently, where she'd witnessed her father's murder and her mother's conviction. She could feel herself tearing up, right there under the clear black sky, and she let herseslf go. No one could hear, no one could see, no one would care. She sat on a park bench, leaning back and taking deep breaths. She wanted to cry for hours there, or to vomit, or die, or anything jus to prove she was alive; human.

Rubbing a hand across her face, she picked up her skateboard under one arm, and began the long walk home. No one but the stars, the sky, and the cool breeze playing across her face had seen her break down. Or so she thougt. From behind a tree, Ecklie stepped, watching Sara's retreating form. He hadn't meant to find her there, crying, but there she had been, and, like a passerby on the scene of a horrible car wreck, he'd been unable to tear his eyes away.

In another state entirely, Maddy Jenne stared out her window, smiling to herself. Starting tomorrow, it was going to be one hell of a couple of weeks for Greg and his friends, and it was going to end in romance if she had her way.

XoXoXoXoX

P.S. Maddy's last name is pronounced like Jenny. It's my actual name, lol. Thanks again for reading, please review!


	40. Maddy

A/N: Aha! Another chapter! As a follow-up to my last author's note, I did manage to get a Valentine's day boyfriend who smells so good... I know no one cares, but oh well. I do. Since I didn't quite make it to a thousand words this chapter, I thought, "What shall I do to fill space?" And I answered myself, "Reply to reviews!" I know there's a nice little button on the review email for me to reply to them, but I like the old-fashioned way better.

**MidnightCrime**: Hey Nikki! I tried to make this chapter flow a little better, just for you. Lots of Natasha coming up in the Swayze-er of my scenes, probably starting in the next chapter.

**JoonSanders**: Wow, you've been with me through the entire story! You aren't getting bored of it, are you? And by the way, the "Vacation, all I ever wanted" song kicks ass and it's by the Go-gos! I'm glad you like my character, I hope she does well in the chapter.

**la femme de l'abime**: If my French is as good as I think it is, your pen name means "The Woman of Damage." Interesting. Sorry for almost giving you a heart attack, but I don't get to update much. My midterms were...less than stellar.

**charmed1818**: I didn't like the last chapter as much as previous ones, at least one of us did, though! I'll try to update more frequently, but I have tons of work for art to do, and I don't understand this Hundertwasser fellow at all.

**dArkliTe-sPirit**: You really read the whole thing in one go? Kudos.

**sarasbutterfly**: I hope you get around to reading the rest, hahaha! Then maybe you'll see that I replied your review!

**Szmanda's Manda**: That would be very sad if your name were Amanda Szmanda. Especially since Szmanda rhymes with raw panda, it's virtually the same word! Very wedding-singer-esque. I can't remember where I mentioned Canada, mind clueing me in? I don't want to read all 41 chapters in one go, but other people seem to...Anyway, I'll see what I can do for Greg's love life. Lengthy reviews always make me update faster! Lubs ya!

XoXoXoXoX

Sara was the first one to get out of the large van when it stopped in Tamales Bay, so she was the first to see the infamous Maddy. She was short, around five feet four inches tall, and she had curly, shoulder-length hair, dyed a shocking deep blue. The bright California sun glinted off her nosering and the prescription sunglasses she wore, as well as the silver-studded belt holding up her worn-out jeans. The entire ensemble was draped on her scrawny skeleton, and untied Converse high tops were shoved carelessly onto her feet.

As Sara took all this in, the rest of the gang had gotten out of the van and were milling around, staring at Maddy's strange appearance or the large house behind her. The deafening silence was finally broken by Greg, the last one out of the packed van.

"Madds!" he yelled, running toward her and throwing his arms about her neck.

"Greggyo!" she shouted in return. Sara noticed her voice was loud and high, potentially annoying and potentially beautiful at the same time. As the hostess broke away from Greg's tight embrace, she noticed the ten other teenagers watching her warily.

"Jeez, what's your deal?" she joked. "I'm Maddy, by the way, in case you couldn't guess. This is my house, well, our house for the next two weeks. Grab your stuff and I'll get you settled in, then we can go down to the beach and maybe, if we're lucky, you'll all get to introduce yourselves properly."

XoXoXoXoX

Mia, Catherine and Sara were in an honest-to-God tower. Maddy's picturesque castle-like house had two towers, each with a large, round room housing three beds. There were two other guest bedrooms, with three beds each, making it a perfect fit for the teenagers. Technically, Maddy had no room in the house. She slept where she wanted, most of the time, but for now she had relinquished the freedom for a bed in the other tower with Natasha and Heather.

"Feel's like being rich," Mia sighed, putting the last of her clothes on shelves in the compact closet. "Maddy's aunt is supposed to be really poor, though. If she comes to Vegas, man, it'll be a facefull of reality sandwich."

Down the hall, Nick, Archie and Jim were also talking about their unusual hostess. "I don't know what's up with her and Greg," Archie commented, emptying the contents of his bag onto his bed and the floor next to it. "If you ask me, it's an awfully big favor, taking in ten strangers, for a friend you had as a kid."

"Well," Nick replied, grinning, "forgive me if I don't entirely trust your opinion on romance, Mr. Too-chicken-to-give-Mia-another-note!"

Archie blushed a violent shade of red. "Hey, that wasn't me!" he protested. "That was some... Secret admirer!"

"Yeah, as opposed to you, the completely obvious admirer," Jim retorted, putting his neatly folded clothes into a dresser he'd descovered in the back corner of the room.

Nick and Jim burst into raucous peals of laughter, which was so infectious that even Archie had to join in.

Greg, too, was laughing, but for an entirely different reason. Gil's and Warrick's faces were just too much to resist after he told them a few "activities" Maddy had in store for them. "First and foremost," he had said, "she's a dancer. And she wants to teach us all to dance as well."

"I thought you were kidding about that," Warrick said warily.

"Nope!" Greg grinned. "She thinks that our generation has lost the sophistication of the first American debutantes, and that the elegance and grace of ballroom dance should be a knowledge bestowed on every person."

"_She_ said that? The girl with the nosering and Londing Calling t-shirt said that _we_ aren't sophisticated enough?" Gil was incredulous. "Generally I'm not one to judge by appearance, but she seems to need a few lessons in elegance."

"My dear Gil," Greg said kindly, "take heed. If you said that in her presence, she wouldn't hesitate to rip your testicles off and strangle you with them. Don't underestimate the pressure the upper-class Californian society puts on a girl such as her."

Just then, Maddy herself burst into the room, one hand over her eyes. "I hope everyone's decent," she said, pulling her hand away. "All of you should change into swimsuits, we're gonna hit the beach!"

XoXoXoXoX

Maddy, Heather, and Natasha were the first ones in the water. Letting the surf envelope her legs, Natasha spoke. "So what's this I hear about ballroom dancing?" she asked.

"That's what I'd like to know," Heather said. "I haven't done the Viennese waltz since I was a kid, I can't wait to re-try."

Maddy grinned. "I hoped at least one person would know a little. Promise not to tell anyone, but Greg asked me to do this so he could be paired with Sara. Cute, isn't it?"

Heather and Tasha exchanged significant looks. Both were thinking, "Cute for now, maybe. But how cute will it be when Nick rearranges Greg's face for the second time over this girl?"

XoXoXoXoX

That night, everyone slept peacefully in their rooms. Maddy, Heather and Natasha had grown quite close, and all three liked the idea of sharing a room. Greg and Maddy had shared quite a few childhood tales over dinner, and the rest of the gang had taken a shine to her, although Sara remained suspicious of her relationship with Greg. Also over dinner, Maddy had outlined the plans for the next day. They were going to start dancing, much to the boys' (apart from Greg's) dismay, then they woulo explore town and, once the sun went down, they would head out for a late-night game of lazer tag. Spending two weeks in Tamales Bay, the Vegas kids collectively decided, was going to be one hell of an adventure.


	41. It takes two to tango

A/N: Okay, so things are heating up a little in this installment. I got some of the dance advice from the ever-popular Dirty Dancing, and the rest of it came from my friend Joel, who taught me to tango. In the last scene, I was inspired by the book: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Steven Chbosky. It's great, I highly recommend it. Thanks to everyone for their reviews, this chapter is dedicated to **Szmanda's Manda** who always gives great reviews even though I'm not doing what she wants me to. I love you all!

Maddy

XoXoXoXoX

"Grissom," Maddy said sternly. She'd developed the habit of calling him by his last name, because she thought it "was cool." She tried it out with Brass, but found Jimmy a cuter alternative. "Grissom, you've got to lead Catherine, she can't do all the work herself! Now, put your hand here" -she moved Gil's hand under Catherine's shoulderblade- "and start again. Listen to the music, let it flow through you!" And with that, she danced away to where Nick, her partner, was standing. "Sorry about that," she said hastily, putting a hand on his chest and the other in his strong grasp.

Nick scowled over to top of Maddy's curly-haired head at where Greg and Sara were tango-ing with ease. "Who wants to bet Maddy and Greg cooked up some scheme to get Greg and Sara together," he thought, letting his arms slacken slightly.

"Don't look at Sara. I know I'm not the best alternative," Maddy said somewhat bitterly, "but you're going to have to look in my eyes. Concentration is the key. And straighten your arms, why don't you?"

Nick rolled his own deep brown eyes and allowed his gaze to settle in Maddy's green ones, behind the chunky black glasses she wore. Managing to keep his arms stiff, he let his mind wander. "What cause does Maddy have to be jealous of Sara?" he puzzled.

XoXoXoXoX

"Heather, come here," Maddy called from where she was standing, once again, with Grissom and Catherine. Heather was already an excellent dancer, and she'd managed to make her partner, Warrick, proficient in the art of the tango. "Switch with Cat," the diminutive dance teacher said. Heather smiled and took Gil's hand in her own.

"Ready to dance, Mr. Grissom?" Heather asked smoothly, letting her hand rest on Gil's chest. He badly wanted to get away from the things he was feeling, to dance with Catherine, like he was supposed to, but he knew he couldn't. He refused to be intimidated by a high school crush. That's all it was, anyway. A crush. "If this is how I get when I'm in high school, in my prime, what do you suppose I'll be like when I'm in my mid-forties?" he asked himself. He already knew the answer. He was destined to be an anti-social workaholic with no personal life. A geek forevermore.

"Hey, I knew I wasn't the only one who called him Grissom!" Maddy squeaked as she bounced back to Nick, who was glowering at Greg. "Yeesh," she said, reaching him. "Good thing I'm not the one going after Sara, you're kinda freaky."

About half an hour later, Nick was taking a turn with Sara while Greg and Maddy tried desperately to help Jim and Natasha. "Asha, I know you're way feminist, but you've got to let Jimmy lead you!" Maddy pleaded. Natasha sighed.

"Once Greg and Jim are done, can I try this again?" Natasha asked.

Greg and Jim were dancing, and Jim wasn't half bad. Granted, Greg was extremely easy to lead, unlike Natasha, but they were doing fine.

"Jim, you've got to take control! Girls dig that!" Greg said as Jim dipped him.

"Forgive me if I'm skeptical, " Jim replied, stepping forward as Greg stepped back, "but I don't want me and Tash to turn out like you and Sara. I mean, how immature do you have to be? Making elaborate schemes with your childhood cohort to set yourself up."

Greg blushed violently. "Who told you about that?"

"Gimme some credit, here. People could see through this set up from the moon!"

Another half hour went by, and everyone was feeling rather Swayze. Suddenly, Maddy turned off the Death Cab for Cutie album that they were dancing to. "'Kay, let's go explore Tamales Bay! We've got to get ice cream, and play at the beach, and go for DDR at the arcade! Then we've got lazer tag tonight!"

XoXoXoXoX

That night, they met in front of the local lazer tag place, and suited up. Greg glanced at Nick out of the corner of his eye, noticing the bigger boy had a protective arm around Sara. He secretly wished an unfortunate "accident" might hinder Nick enough to have him leave, giving Greg and Sara the chance to be alone for the rest of the twelve days. He knew, though, that Sara would insist they go to visit him, or that they all leave. It was just the kind of thing she would do, the kind of thing that made Greg love her like he did.

Sara ran through the dark room, hiding behind one of the obstacles. She could feel someone following her, but he seemed to be gone. She turned in relief and ran straight into a shadowy figure. A shadowy figure's lips, to be exact. Sara's eyes widened in the dark, her lazer gun dropping from her hand and clattering to the ground. She suddenly realized that she was kissing the person back, and, horrified, she pushed him away. They boy turned and hurried across the room and into the shadows.

"That could have been anyone!" Sara thought, appalled. "Jim, Gil, Warrick, Archie...or Nick or Greg..." She could feel a blush creeping up her neck, all the way up to the roots of her thick, brown hair. Grabbing her lazer gun off the ground, she scampered away from the wall and re-joined the game, though half-heartedly. She was almost instantly taken out by a brutal shot from Heather, and it seemed they couldn't get out of that dark, mysterious room fast enough.

XoXoXoXoX

Mia watched Sara suspiciously. The brunette had something on her mind, that was for sure. No one just lets themself get taken out of lazer tag without needing the extra time to think. Everyone could see that Sara was pensive, but, they assured themselves, she was always pensive. The twelve teenagers walked to the outskirts of Tamales Bay, feeling at the apex of their lives. Problems or not, there was a feeling of content instilled in the air around them. As they reached the bottom of Maddy's driveway, Greg spoke.

"I feel infinite."


	42. Revelations and Swing

A/N: Hey everyone. Sorry it's taken so long, the new trimester just started at my school and my batty old English teacher has decided to take the time to teach us all to write poetry. It's heinous. Ridiculous! Unbe-fuckin-believable! So anyway, now that it's Spring Break and Ethan has pneumonia, I don't have anything to do. So I'm updating, of course, for all you beloved fans! And this will be dedicated to that little girl in CSI last night, Hannah West, I believe? She's just awesome. Once again, I love everyone who's even looked at this story (especially if they review)!

Maddy

P.S. I wrote this the day after that Hannah West ep. Sorry it took so long for me to update, life's a bitch. This chapter is long and, in my opinion, pretty heated. I've been trying to get a little more insight into Greg and Maddy's past. Enjoy!

XoXoXoXoX

Greg ran his fingers through his spiky hair. He was at the beach, sitting on a towel watching Sara (on Nick's shoulders) play chicken with Maddy and Warrick in the waist-high surf. Pausing to straighten the towel, he laid down and let his gaze wander into the clear summer sky. Suddenly he heard a scream of profanity followed by a splash. Looking up, he saw that Maddy had tumbled into the water. Moments later, Warrick had scooped her up, shaking, and set her on her feet.

"Sorry," she said quickly. "I don't know how to swim and it always kind of freaks me out, you know?" She waded through the water and onto the sand, turning back to laugh as Archie and Mia stood, poised, challenging Nick and Sara.

Sitting down on the sand next to Greg, she spoke. "You're not making very much of an effort, you know…. I can't do all the work for you."

"I know," Greg replied. "I just don't have that much fight left in me. It's been nothing but struggling since day one, and that was, like, a year ago."

"Shyeah, I know exactly what you mean," Maddy said honestly, rolling her eyes. "But, isn't that what makes it so special? I mean, where'd the fun be in- heaven forbid –a normal relationship? The fact that you've tried so hard to win her over is what's going to make her like you, when all's said and done."

"That's all well and good, I suppose," Greg said with a wry smile. "But who've you ever been in love with? How do you know?" Maddy had had boyfriends, sure, but no one stood out spectacularly in his memory. No one was that important. They were frequent and short-lived relationships, the kind you'd have to kill time.

"Wouldn't you like to know." She smiled, retying the halter strap on her black bikini and putting her hair up hastily. "Now go out there and win her heart!" She shoved Greg onto the sand, smiling as he joined Sara in the water.

XoXoXoXoX

"Isn't this old-fashioned," Catherine said, watching their hostess put a record on a dusty record-player. She'd been told they'd be learning to swing-dance, and had no idea what kind of music the eccentric teacher had in store. So far, there'd been an eclectic array of pieces including Death Cab for Cutie, Chopin, Jem, and an obscure '80's band called the Three o' Clock.

"Greg, come here." Maddy snapped loudly at her friend. She usually used Heather in demonstrations, but this dance required a little more muscle. Flicking a switch on the phonograph, a loud guitar riff started up, immediately recognized by most of the group as Smells Like Teen Spirit, Nirvana's biggest hit.

"The first step in learning to swing dance," Maddy said over the music as Greg lifted her over his head, "is learning to trust your partner. Now we're going to start with a few basic steps, Greg, put me down!" Settled back on her feet, she got Greg into a dance position and went through a couple of easy steps with him. "Now, you try."

A sweaty hour-and-a-half later, Sara sidled up to Maddy. "I've heard your whole thing about the bastardization of the debutante, but why are you really teaching us to dance?"

"The competition is on the last day you're here and I can't expect you to already know how to dance, that's why I'm teaching you. Duh!"

Sara stood in awestruck silence as Maddy bounced over to Nick and went through a few steps with him. This competition was news to her, and probably to everyone else, except possibly one Greg Hojem Sanders.

XoXoXoXoX

Gil sat stiffly in bed later that night, his hands over his eyes. It was quite the dilemma he'd gotten himself into. Knowing he should have never let himself get friends in the first place, he went over pros and cons in his mind.

"Well, Catherine's beautiful and it seemed like I had a chance with her," he concluded, though quickly contradicting himself. "She's way out of my league and what if we couldn't be friends when it ended? This is high school. Nothing lasts forever. On the other hand, Heather is also beautiful, and she makes me feel… As if I'm not myself. Which isn't necessarily a good thing."

Laying back down, he rolled over and left his problems to sort themselves out on another day. Meanwhile, on the other side of the house, Sara, too, was discussing a problem.

"So it was some guy, and he just kissed me, and I guess I kissed him back," she concluded, taking a breath.

Catherine raised her eyebrows. "Well you know, there are only six guys who were in that room. It's not like the possibilities are endless." In fact, Sara was the only one in the room that all six girls had invaded who didn't know there were only two boys who could be the culprit.

"Six is a lot, Cat," Sara sighed. "I wish I had a way to narrow it down."

"You know, I'm gonna get some water, I want to overanalyze every minute detail when I get back," Maddy said, standing up and leaving the room.

She loitered outside Greg's room until he came out, lime green boxers seemingly lighting the whole hall. "I guess I underestimated you, Greggyo. You really were doing a lot of work on this. A little unorthodox, but… Whatever works."

"What are you talking about?" Greg asked groggily. In one swift motion, Maddy slapped him across the face.

"You know, I'm doing this all for you. You know very well what I'm talking about and I don't appreciate you playing dumb with me. I think with all the shit I put up with I deserve to know how my scheme is going."

"_Your scheme_? Excuse me, but this isn't just some game. This is my life that I trusted you with and I don't know what you're talking about."

"Jesus Christ! The key word there is _trust_ and that's something I'd like. You can tell me what happened, I don't care. So you kissed Sara in a dark room. Yeah, it was perfect timing. She has no idea. I know all about it."

"I didn't kiss Sara. God, Madds, you'd be the first to know. But if you really can't trust me to talk to you, then maybe we should just call this off." His tone was icy cold.

"Alright. But I'm not letting the competition go to hell in a hand basket because you've got a crush. And I'm going to have to talk to that Nick Stokes about what you can and can't do in laser tag. Goodnight then." Her voice matched his, and she spun on one heel and headed off to the other side of the house, seething.


	43. We make the road by walking

Pre-A/N: I wrote this chapter an insanely long time ago, but I'm just now posting it because… Well… I'm lazy like that. I'm including the author's note I wrote at the time mostly because I just kick ass and (even though no one reads my notes) you all read my story just for my witty hilarity in the A/N section. And now, two days later when I'm actually adding **more** to my Pre-A/N, I just have to tell you that this chapter's called Smack Me, but I'm naming it after my current favorite song by the Juliana Theory. I almost put the name of the song but...You can see that on the little menu thingy. Ta!

A/N: So… No one reviewed my last chapter… It got tons of hits, but… Jesus. Well, I am so loyal I'm going to write more anyway. In case it isn't clear, the gang has about a week left in Tamales Bay. Also, we found out in the last chapter that it was Nick who snogged Sara in the dark. And Maddy and Greggyo are in a fight… Shame. Anywhom, I guess I'll get to that story now, and you better review or I will personally send you all sad and pitiful emails. I'm pitiful. Also, I've been listening to this Dexter Freebish song called Leaving Town and it makes me sad, so this chapter is pretty angst-ridden.

Avec l'amour,

Maddy

XoXoXoXoX

With a sickening smack, Maddy's hand came in hard contact with a face for the second time in twenty-four hours. "What the hell were you thinking?" she shouted in Nick's face. "I mean, I know you like her but you can't just snog an unsuspecting girl in a dark room. It just isn't done and if you fuck up this dance competition, I swear to God I will go to Vegas and drag you out into the street so I can blow your fucking head off."

"What's your damage?" Nick spat. "Just because your little boyfriend is jealous doesn't mean you can get in my way."

"Get out of my face," Maddy growled, shoving him out of the way and storming down the long corridor to lock herself in a bathroom. Despite the situation, she couldn't help but think how very cliché the whole scene was. She wondered what Greg thought of the situation, now that he knew about Nick's face-sucking run-in with Sara. "Jesus…" Maddy moaned at the ceiling, "What have I gotten myself into?"

With that she dashed out of the bathroom to her father's office, took out a red ballpoint pen and a legal-sized sheet of paper. After writing for a while, filling the page with her bubbly penmanship, Maddy taped the note to Greg's room's door, changed out of her pajamas into jeans and a wifebeater, pulled on a pair of sneakers and ran out of the house towards the beach, lit only by the rising sun.

XoXoXoXoX

"Mia, did you see Madds this morning?" Catherine inquired, pulling a cigarette out of her case and lighting it. The girls were standing outside in the cool, morning breeze waiting for Greg and his fellow members of the lazier sex to rouse from slumber.

"Nah, maybe she went to get some ice cream or take a walk or something. I don't really know her that well… Maybe when Greg finally wakes up he'll be able to tell us where she is," Mia replied, eyeing the smoke curling out of Catherine's cigarette. It was whipped away by a gust of wind, and Mia shifted her gaze to Sara, who'd opened her mouth to speak.

"I think we may find out sooner than you think," she said. "I can hear Greg's big feet on the stairs inside."

Heather rolled her eyes and laughed, looking in the window and watching Greg come careening down the stairs, a paper clutched in one hand. He fell flat on his face at the end of the staircase, and soon after the rest of the boys came stumbling down into the front hall, pausing to watch as Greg picked himself up off the oak floor.

"Maddy left this morning, she left a note on my door," Greg gasped after bursting, out of breath, through the front door, nearly knocking Natasha over. "Listen to this:

_Greg and company,_

_Sorry for the change in plans. I'm going to be gone for a day or two or more, depending on when I get bored of my new-found independence. I realized that taking on eleven houseguests, ten of whom I don't know, is no small feat. No offense to any of you, honestly, you've been great. Needless to say, I have "emotional instability" and I had a small breakdown (or two) last night. I s'pose you can ask Nick and Greg all about that, I'll let them handle the embarrassing explanation. _

_For the time being, I'm somewhere in Tamales Bay, don't look for me. I need to work some stuff out regarding friendships and priorities on my own right now. If I'm not back in a week, I hope you had an alright time and I'm sorry you'll be missing the dance competition without me. If I'm gone longer, the note taped to my self-mutilated body should explain some things. Bye. _

_With all the love my cold heart can give,_

_Maddy Jenne"_

"Come on, what are we waiting for?" Natasha said loudly, grabbing the note out of Greg's hands and scanning it. "We've got to find her, she's not going to survive one night on the street."

"We don't even know where to start looking," Archie said, grabbing Mia's arm protectively. "Tamales Bay is a small town but there's no way we can search the whole thing in one day."

"We can sure as hell try," Gil stated. His eyes burned like the ash in Catherine's forgotten cigarette. "But right now I'd like to hear Nick and Greg's explanation."

"Yeah," Jim said, leaning towards them. "What'd you do to her last night?"

"Well," Greg started, thinking of how best to phrase his story without using Sara's name, as she was standing directly in front of him. "I suppose it started when I asked Maddy to help me with this girl I like. She didn't think I was doing my part to try and… to get the girl to like me back. Then she thought I made a move on this girl, a dirty, disgusting move that took advantage of the girl-" Greg gave Nick a significant look. "-and she didn't believe me when I said it wasn't me at first, so we got mad at each other and, well, that's where my part in the story ends."

"And where mine begins," Nick said, clearing his throat. "It seems that Maddy thinks I'm the one who took advantage of S- the girl, and that's… Not what happened. She ran off after giving me a pretty good talking to… Or shouting at, is, I think, a little more apt."

"So who's the girl? Did you meet her in Tamales Bay?" Sara asked, completely unsuspecting. You'd think she'd have caught on by now.

"Um… Yeah. We met her on the beach." Greg said quickly, giving Nick a look. He nodded vigorously. Continuing, Greg said, "Everyone but me and Nick and Maddy was in the water, so none of you know her."

"Oh," Sara said, brightening. "What's she like?"

"That's beside the point," Heather said, sensing Nick and Greg's collective discomfort. "We really have to find Maddy."

XoXoXoXoX

Natasha and Jim were canvassing the main drag of Tamales Bay. They checked ice cream shops, Maddy's favorite coffee house, music stores, even a store dedicated to selling memorabilia from Cher's many farewell tours.

"Fuck. Where is she, Jim?" Natasha said, collapsing next to her search partner on a bus bench and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"If I knew, we'd already be eating ice cream somewhere with her, probably," Jim said, wondering if anyone else was having any luck. Gil was looking around the mall with Catherine, Archie and Mia were still looking around Maddy's neighborhood, Warrick and Nick had taken another section of main street, and Heather, Sara right beside her, had run off to Maddy's dance teacher's studio. Greg had gone off alone, presumably feeling responsible, and was searching the beach.

"We should get going," Natasha said, not moving from her comfortable position, nestled against Jim. He put a hand over hers, feeling the cool of her skin for a moment before standing up and pulling her up alongside him.

XoXoXoXoX

Greg ran a hand through his hair, his signature move when he was stressed. He'd searched every inch of the beach except for the small patch of sandy forest that covered a tiny corner of the white sand. He hadn't thought Maddy would go there.

"Holy hell!" he said out loud, remembering. When he and Maddy had been young, they'd built a sort of platform on the outstretched limbs of a tree which hung out over a small gulf in the beach.

Sneakers spraying up sand behind him, Greg bolted toward the forest, splashing through puddles of salty ocean water as he went. He saw the base of the tree in the distance, a yellow ribbon he and Maddy had tied together as children still knotted jauntily around its trunk. Grabbing one of the lower branches, he swung himself onto it and peered above the edge of the platform, at the level of his nose from where he was standing. There, in torn jeans and a sand-smeared white shirt, was his best friend from long ago.

Her mermaid-blue hair was sticking to a tearstained face, her glasses were pushed almost all the way down her nose and the laces of one sneaker were almost completely undone, giving her the appearance of someone who's lost a lot of luxuries in a very short amount of time. She shifted her starry-eyed gaze from the sky to Greg's hazel eyes, her thin, blonde eyebrows knitting in a frown.

"Sod off," she said in a choked voice, looking the other way.

"No, Madds, I'm not going to leave until you let me apologize. I know you went through a lot to get your parents to leave and allow you to invite ten strangers and me, who they've never really liked, into your house. And you've done a lot to try and set me up with some girl you don't even know. And I guess I can even see why you didn't trust me about that Sara-kissing thing, you know most of the stuff I've tried on girls and not all of it is, ah, wholesome."

Maddy rolled her eyes, rubbing tears off her cheeks with the heel of her hand. "To be truthful, I guess I haven't been entirely honest either…" She began, trailing off and turning her eyes back to the sky. Greg waited for her to finish for a full minute.

"How so?" Greg prompted.

Maddy shook her head and stood up. "I don't think I can really talk about it right now. I'll send you a letter from my deathbed and you'll know then." She smiled and hopped down onto the branch Greg was still precariously perched on, nearly causing him to lose his balance. He caught on to her hand at the last second and hoisted himself back up.

"Do you think you're ready to go home?" he asked, fingers still touching the smooth skin of her palm.

Greg's touch sent electric shivers up and down Maddy's spine. Silently kicking herself for the weakness, she drew her hand back. "Yeah, I guess. Ready as I'll ever be, at any rate. Let's go."

As they walked together out of the forest, wondering how the hell they were going to round up the rest of the gang, Greg slung a friendly arm around Maddy's shoulders, with no clue what was in store in the week to come.

XoXoXoXoX

A/N: Yes, I know I already did two author's notes, but I feel the need to do another one. I am begging you, down on my knees, please, please, please review. Just a few words is all I ask. Do you understand what's going on between Maddy and Greg, and such? Please just affirm that you're still reading my story! Sorry this chappie's so long.

Avec beaucoup d'amour, je t'embrasse.

Maddy


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